Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-04-01
PLAIN CONSUMER
WANTS TO KNOW
BLUNT QUESTIONS HE is ASKING
ABOUT THE PAYNE
BILL.
WILL THE PROPOSED TARIFF
cHEAPEN PRICES OF FOOD,
AND NECESSARIES.

AMI NECESSARIES.
washington, March 28.-What most
peop.e want to know about the Payne
tariff bill is the one thing they can't
find out. After the bill becomes a
law, Will the prices of food and cloth
ing and other necessares be cheaper?
viii the new schedules, whatever
they are, cut down the cost of living
of the salaried man and woman, and
the Wage-earner? Eight people out
OF ten, discussing the schedules and
the promised revision of the tariff
downward, have in mind lower prices
for the commodities which they must
buy to keep life in their bodies and a
shelter over their heads. Making
the American wholesale price the ba-
sis for assessment of duties in certain
cases, iberalizing and extending the
drawback privileges, and the appiica-
ton of the principle OF a maximum
and minimum rate mean nothing to
three out of five people in the ordin-
airy walks OF life.
The final test to be applied to the
Payne bill when it becomes a law viii.
come from Mr.. Boutells protege, the
ultimate consumer. If he is told
when the new tariff bill is signed by
President Taft that a revision has
been effected downward, he will eX-
pect some substantial evidence of the
operation. When he goes to a cloth
Ter next autumn for his ready-made
suit Of winter clothes, he will expect
to get a better suit for $50 than ne
bought for that price last autumn.
Or he will expect to get for $25 what
he paid $50 tor last time. He will
want a pair of shoes such as used to
cost him $3.50, and now cost SIS, for
the former price. He will expect TO
see evidences Of tariff reduction in
the price he has to pay for hat,
collars, shirts, stockings, under-cloth-
ing, rubber boots for the children,
and rubber shoes for himself. If he
doesn't find the conditions he will ex-
pect to find, his disappointment may
be manifested at the next congress
sional election.
Women Interested.
Out in Chicago there has been
started by women a protest against
the duties imposed in the Payne bill
on such articles of womens wearing
apparel as stockings, gloves, etc.
These protestants seek to represent
the interests of the large and increas-
ing number of women who work,
and who are economically dependent
upon their own resources. The Objec-
ton they make to the Payne bill is Of
in congress. 1t is the same sort Of
influence that abolished the canteen
in the army and put a stop to the sale
Of liquor in the capitol here at Wash
ington.
rs the new tariff bill fair to
women? We could not expect re-
port by committee composed wholly
of men to be fair to women. If
there had been a few women among
the trainers of the bill, if there were
a few women in the senate, and a few
in the house, and if back Of these
there was a substantial body of
women voters, then We might hope
fer a bill that would be fair
Such was the thrust directed at the
Payne tariff measure and its apparent
inequalities by Mrs. Catharine Waugh
Mccullough. She was one Of many
women to decry the work of the tar
if adiusters in what was described as
its efforts to satisfy the demand OF
the stronger interests, and its failure
to relieve the burden that falls upon
women and the home.
But not alone in such items as
g owes and wOollens and cotton goods.
it appeared, are the woman heads OF
households vitality interested in the
work that Is to monopolize the atten-
zion of congress in its special session.
Still less in such frivolities as soaps
and perfumes is the sex concerned.
Women are interested vitality in
every item considered by the tariff.
makers that concerns the welfare of
the citizenship of this country de-
cldred Mrs. F. Quincy Stubs, a mu-
nicipal suffrage worker. we are as
much concerned in the tariffs that af.
feet structural iron as the schedules
that affect hosiery. All that concerns |
the household concerns woman. That
means everything that contributes to-
the needs of mankind"
Tariff Statement Misleading.
The first flush of general satisfac |
ton in congress with the Payne bill |
seems to be dissipating. Its existence |
in the first place was due to the anon |
ymous Statement of the proposed |
changes in the tariff law" made pub
lie with the first draft of the bill. |
This statement was accepted as a |
real explanation of the changes that
had been made. Further inspection
of The bill itself and OF the schedu es
has shown that the so-called state |
ment of proposed changes was inaccu-
rate, incomplete, and misleading in |
many particulars
Veterans of previous tariff contro-