The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-03-25
HOUSE MINORITY LEADER AS
SAILS NEW MEASURE BE-
FORE CONGRESS.
SPEAKS FOR FIVE HOURS
Declares That Mistake Was Made in
the Payne Bill in Not Arranging the
Revision on Basis of Raising Reve.
nue. OnIy-Missourian Receives ova-
ton From Democrats.

Washington, March 24.-Declaring
among other things that a mistake
was made in the Payne tariff bill in
not arranging the revision on the basis
or raising revenue only on every esti-
mate. Mr.. Clark of Missouri the mi
nority leader, today held the attention
OF the house for more than five hours
IN discussing the measure. Mr..
Clark spoke in characteristic style and
frequently moved the house to an
| piause and laughter. At the conclu-
SION OF his remarks he received an
ovation from his democratic COL
| leagues. He was followed by Messrs.
Washburn of Massachusetts, and
Adamson of Georgia, the latter at
tacking the inheritance tax provision
OF the bill. while Mr.. Adamson opposed
the erection of a tariff wall so high
as to prevent the people of the United
states buying in all the markets of the
world as well as disposing of their
surplus products.
Declaring the present was no time for
academic discussion of the tariff, Mr..
clark OF Missouri said he had gone to
Chairman Payne and suggested that
INSOFAR as he was concerned he gladly
would have waived general debate on
the bill if assurance could be given
that there would be ample opportunity
for amendments and debate under the
minute rule, under the entire
measure section by section. It was
his judgment that the bill could be
amended in many respects.
Touching the failure of the consum-
er to appear before the committee.
Mr. Clark said there were two reasons
for this, one, that in the beginning
the public looked upon the hearings
as a stupendous confidence game ana
second, that the consumer felt that
the possibility OF having his tariff
burden substantially reduced was SO
remote that he did not think 1t worth
travelling expenses, hotel bills, neglect
of business and loss of time. While
that applied to the fairly we'll to-do
ultimate consumer, he said, there
were millions of ultimate consumers
who had not the wherewithal to foot
the bills for trip to Washington and
other millions who could scrape to-
gether the expense money, could not
afford to use it in that way.
$50 that" he said "the ultimate
consumer really speaks in these hear
ings only through questions propound-
ed by members of the committee in
an earnest endeavor to ascertain the
truth"
Biggest Piece.
Most of the cross-firing among wit
nesses, he said, was where one set
OF manufacturers fell foul of another
because the tariff pie was not evenly
distributed and each one wanted the
biggest piece.
To Mr.. Fordney of Michigan, Mr..
Clark extended his assurances of his
"profoundest consideration as a fight
er. He would put game cock to
blush in that regard"
If. he said, Mr.. Fordney were given
carte blanche, to write a tariff bill,
1t would be short, if not sweet, and
would be in these words:
II an article can be produced in
this country by any process or at any
cost whatsoever, nothing like it shall
be imported"
All through the hearings he said,
Mr.. Fordney was on hand with first
aids for the wounded. He said that
the rest of the republicans, first or
last, came over to our side" on diff
ferent subjects and in various de-
grees, but that Mr.. Fordney never
lowered his colors.
Neither Leonides at the pass nor
Horatius at the bridge was a marker
to him." he said.
Favored Reductions.
Discussing the situation in which
the ways and means committee found
itself, he said ii was unprecedented,
because both parties had favored re-
ducing the tariff rates of the Dingley
bill
"Of course" he said, the republi-
can platform was equivocal," but he
added in that connection most of the
republican members of the committee
came at last to construe it as a re-
vision downward
The democrats so construed it and
he said the better part of wisdom and
patriotism would have been for all
the members to have collaborated in
the work in preparing the bill after
the hearings closed.
VIC dio dA AiuerlCdn cltizeHS
equally interested in the prosperity,
glory and happiness of a mighty peo-
ple." he exclaimed. mot one of US
has the slightest desire to injure in
any way Or to any extent whatsoever
any legitimate American industry"
In addition to the peculiar coinci-
dence of both parties being under
orders to revise the tariff downward.
he said. all were stared in the face
by a large and increasing deficiency
in the revenues. There now were he
said, but three ways known among
men by which deficiency may be
cured, cut down expenses. increases in
taxes and issue of bonds. To issue
bonds, he declared. was no remedy at
ALL 1t was simply postponing the day
when they might be paid, principal