Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-08-18
HAUGEN ON THE TARIFF.
What Our Congressman Thinks Of
New Tariff Bill, as Reported
by His Home Paper.

by His Home Paper.
The following comments on the
new tariff bill were given to his
home paper, the Northwood Index
by Congressman Haugen, and will
be of general interest over the dis
trict:
Evidently the Payne-Aldrich bill
failed to meet the approval of all,
but that has been the fate of every
tariff bill; and it is nothing strange
that a biz. made up by a combina-
ton of democrats and republicans,
which makes the bill sectional one,
and necessarily free trade on
one hand and excessive pro-
lection on the other, could not
meet with universal approval.
Personally, | believe that strict
ly republican measure would come
nearer meeting the approval of
the people in general, and would
have answered the purpose better
than the one we have. | believe
II we had succeeded in amending the
rules of the house so as to give all
members of the House an opportu-
nifty to express their judgment, if not
on all, at least on a large number of
the schedules in the bill, we would
have had better bill, or at last one
expressing the judgment and senti-
ment of majority; but certain de-
mocrats and republicans did not deem
that advisable; and by 23 democrats
cooperating with a number of re-
publicans we have the so-called
Tammany rule, which is practically
identical with the rules adopted by
previous democratic and republican
congress. AS a result the tariff bill
was not even read for amendment,
and members were deprived of even
offering an amendment, except under
a special rule which gave members
an opportunity to vote on about six
out of the 1000 items in the bill.
AS result under the rules, we have
not a majority bill, but what is cal
led a oneman bill, and the statement
that the tariff bill is a republican
measure or a majority measure is in
deed absurd and unfounded when the
fact is known that the membership
of the House did not have an oppor-
tunity to vote separately on single
item in the conference report; and
the only vote accorded was either to
accept or reject the report in toto.
President Taft made an hanest eff
fort to secure concessions, and to
have a bill framed so as to fully re-
deem party pledges, ard got all that
could be expected under the circum-
hn hf In
democrats voted against any reduc-
ton in the duty on lumber, and as
a result, of from 81 to l3G demo-
Gratis voting as they did on the lum-
Der and hide SCI edules, We got an
increase of duty on lumber of over
100 per cent; toat is. ii tie maximum
duty is to be applied, and there can
be no question about that. We got
an increase of &c y per cent on
shingles, as we'll as free hides. Evil
IDENTITY the democratic party, almost
wholly made n OF 11mmanE ana
southern democrats, take but little
interest in the protection of cattle
raisers in giving him protection on
his finishing article-hides; but an
exceedingly deep interest in what
they evidently deem worthy and
deserving com oinatiOn---tEe so-called
lumber trust.
While the bill in many respects
does not seem to subserve the best
interest of, and do justice to our To-
calty, for instance in increasing the
duty on shingles. lumber, cotton sche-
dule, in retaining an excessive duty
on manufactures of wool, steel, bar
ded-wire. ETC.. and in placing on the
free list hides. linseed oil, and by
reducing the duty on fresh beef, and
as the reduction on shoes practically
applies only TO shoes made out OF
sole-leather uppers, the bill does give
adequte perfection to farm products
in general. While it does not seem
to me TO fully redeem the party
pledge in revising the tariff down
ward, it makes number of material
reductions, and is in many respects
good bill; but in view of the APP
parent discrimination, non-compli-
ance with party pledges, and inequi-
able adjustment of our tariff laws.
it seems to me that members should
have been given an opportunity TO
vote separately on at last few OF
the many amendments, or that the
report should have been re-commit-
ted, as is often done with unsatis-
factory conference reports, with a
view to securing more equitable adj
justment of our tariff laws"