The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-08-19
The PAYNE TARIFF BILL
History of1he Measure and'a
Summary Of Its Principal
Provisions New
Fee List.

A1Ler one OF the OltLtfcSt- huo Ouo
OF the most momentous legislative du-
els In the history OF the national cap
itaI the new tariff measure, the Payne
bill, has been completed.
The progress Of the bill through the
legislative mill Of both houses was
eventfuI enough to satisfy the most
pronounced cravers for parliamentary
warfare. The real battle opened when
the bill (house report 1888 was re-
ceived I'm the senate and referred to
the committee On finance, April 1O.
Aldrich Of Rhode Island, the leader OF
the senate as chairman OF the finance
committee, subsequently became chair
man OF the conference committee,
which was appointed to adjust the diff
Yerences arising between senate and
house and between both houses OF
congress and the president
Taft For FREQ Hides.
The report OF the conference COM
mittee which determined what would
be the provisions OF the Payne bill in
Ats final form was victory for Pres
ident Taft. He informed all Of the
conferees that hides must be placed
On the free list, together with petro-
seum, crude and refined. They there
npon decided to cut the Dingley tariff
on hides to per cent. The president
heard the news and sent word that
be had meant what he had said about
free hides. The figures were then
lowered to 7 per cent. Now Chairman
Serene f. Payne Of the ways and
means committee decided to demon
strate that his original bill, providing
for free hides should no longer be sub
tected to the emasculatory operations
of the majority of the conferees. He
announced that not even a 5 per cent
duty on hides would be accepted by
either himself or the house. Without
1ree hides this tariff bill will not pass
The house." he was quoted as saying.
The tariff came off hides instanter,
and as quickly was oil put on the I'M
taxed schedule, together with gasO-
line, benzine and naphtha. The leather,
rough lumber, print paper, coal and
iron and glove schedules ranked next
in Importance during the closing days
OF the controversy.
II hides came in free, the important
New England boot and shoe manufac-
turing interests would consent to re
duction of the tariff on their products
otherwise they would continue to fight
The solving of the hides problem left
It simple matter to agree to lower
duties on boots and shOes-the Ding
ley rate being % per cent. Saddlery
and harness were cut to 40 per cent
as against the Dingley rate Of AZ pei
cent. The president resorted to the
unusual method of sending a written
message to the conference committee
demanding lower rates on lumber and
gloves than the Payne bill provided
and he secured them.
Wool and Cotton.
The wool schedule underwent NJ
change Of consequence, but the entire
cotton schedule was reconstructed ant
the phraseology greatly changed In the
hope of preventing reductions through
decisions by the courts such as have
characterized the administration Of the
Dingley law during recent years. IL
many instances the rates intended t.
he imposed by the Dingley law were
cut by these decisions, the reduction!
In some instances being from 60 pc
cent to per cent ad valorem.
Probably the most marked reduC
lions are found in the metal schedule
Beginning with a decrease In the rat
OF iron ore from 40 to 10 cents per tor
there is a general reduction Throughout
that part OF the bill, pig iron goin
down from 81 to $3.50 per ton an,
scrap iron from 81 to 81. The reduo
ton on many of the items in thi
schedule amounts to about 30 per cent
Rough lumber goes down from 81. )
to $1.25 per thousand feet. with col
responding reduction In the differentia
on dressed lumber.
The president WAS subjected To Sc
verest pressure from both the upwar
and downward revisioniSts Throughout
The upward revisionists told him tina
reduction Of duty on hides an'
leather manufactures would make tn
next congress Democratic. in whic
event they argued that Taft would no
possibly be renominated for the pres
idency. The ''downwards" told hil
that Roosevelt would surely be tn
next Republican candidate for pres
dent If the campaign promises for
downward revision were not fulfilled.
The Corporation Tax.
The president had highly Difficult
task also i'll preserving his scheme TO
a corporation tax intact in the Payn
bill. This feature is clearly the mos
unpopular one in the entire measure
so far as members of the senate ant
house were concerned. Many Of tn
members argued To the president tina
the tax as provided for was uncon
stitutional. Resolutions will be intro
duced in the various state legislature
condemning the act and recommend
ing its repeal. according to statement
made by various congressman f
Washington
The corporation tax of l per cent o.
the entire net income over and abov
5000 received by corporations froI
all sources. exclusive Of certain item
must he paid on or before June 3
each year. Persons authorized
make returns or statements to tn
government and who make returns O
statements OF fraudulent nature al
subject TO fine of $1,000 and in
prisOnment for one year.
During the closing days of the tai
IN controversy, before the bill wa
voted on for final passage, over fort
Republicans who had grievances G
one sort or another against certain G
the provisions of the bill stated tha
they would vote against it. They ha
It In their power to defeat the mea.
ure and force the president to ca
another special session in Septembe
or October. They had the party leat
ers plainly worried for a time, br
the able peacemakers at the capita
including President Taft himself. su,
ceeded in calming the ruffled waters s
last