The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-03-26
OIL SCHEDULE {
PROVOKES
DEBATE
COUNTERVAlLlNG DUTY PRO-
VISION is OBJECT OF BIT
TER ATTACKS,
DESIGNATED A JOKER"
lntimation Is Given That Provision
Was incorporated in the Payne
Measure for the Benefit of the
Standard Oil Octopus-Democrats
Argue Tariff for Revenue Only.

Argue Tariff for Revenue Only.
Washington, March ga voluntar,
admission by Mr.. Vreeland of New
York that he was to some extent re-
sponsible for retaining in the Payne
tariff bill the countervailing duty or
oil was the climax of today's tariff
discussion in the house. Mr.. Vree-
land had sat for some time and heard
various insinuations that the duty
which some have characterized as q
joker, was to be levied solely in the
interest of the Standard Oil company
This he denied and explained that his
action was in response to requests
from thousands of oil producers and
in behalf of 10000 men engaged In
the same business. The debate on the
oil schedule called forth some bitter
criticism of the Standard Oil company
by Custerman of Wisconsin and
others.
Numerous speeches We're made. The
democratic arguments were for a tariff
for revenue only, while the republicans
attacked such schedules as those on
wool, wood pulp and print paper and
crude petroleum
Charging that the Pavne tariff bill
lis deliberate betrayal of the Ameri-
can people and that it Is fresh IL
lustration of the perfidy of the repub-
lican party" Mr.. Sheppard of Texas
bitterly attacked the measure
More Power.
Amusing, indeed, were the ponder
GUS assurances Of Mr. Taft that the
republican party would revise the
tariff downward" he said. His vol
canic predecessor realized the hope
lessness Of such a proposition and
evaded 1t to the last. Is it possible
that the complacent Mr.. Taft will sue
ceed where the bifocal wind that re-
Gently swept from Washington to
oyster Bay failed utterly I saw to
you there is more real power in one
scent cigar between the iron lips of
Joseph G. Cannon, the standpat leader,
than in the big stick of a whole regi-
ment of Roosevelts and Tafts"
Mr.. Sheppard said the Payne bill
was in no way sincere and enact
that 1t was declaration of CONNER
cial war with all the world He de-
olored the failure to remove or re-
luce the protection, which he claimed
was afforded to the Standard Oil COM
oany by the Dingley law.
"As to the hundreds of others that
menace the peoples means and liber-
les" he remarked, sit should be said
hat the limited and illusionary re-
luctions of the Payne bill affect them
n no material sense. In marked con-
rast to the favortism shown the
rusts, to the failure to increase
harges on alcoholic liquors, are the
lew taxes on tea and coffee, which
all directly on the masses"
He said it was true that coffee was
echnically on the free list but argued |
hat the countervailing provision |
made it dutiable
Same Old Cry.
Mr.. Cole OF Ohio charged it always |
lad been the cry of the democrats |
o the products of the world and it |
vas not contended that to invite a
ommercial war would be disastrous |
o American industries. That, he said,
vas contrary to the whole history of |
he nation. Never, he declared, had
is standard been lowered below that
f any competing nation.
The burden of Mr.. Coles remarks
yas a plea for better protection for
he wool industry than is provided in
he Pavne bill.
In his maiden speech as a member
the house, Mr.. Dies of Texas op-
osed the tariff policy of the repub-
can party He maintained that the
,vying of any tax not for the pur-
ose of raising revenues to maintain
he government or for temporary en-
ouragement of the interests of the
ountry was an exploitation of tax
ayers Mr.. Dies in particular at
acked the provisions of the bin re-
lting to farm implements. He said
1e people of the south did not object
a reasonable tax on snch products,
ut they did object to placing the pro-
eeds of the tax in the pockets of the
International Harvester company
Mr.. Custermann of Wisconsin op-
osed the countervailing duty on oil
'hich, he argued. had enabled the
tandard oil company to sell oil in
ngland at from to cents a gallon
'ss than in the United States. He
eclared he had received positive as
lrance that that feature of the Ding
" bill would be omitted from the
ayne bill.
Little Joker.
But" he said, holding up a copy
the measure, here is the little Joker
landing before me in all its wick
1ness, ready to take at least s15,-
10000 out of the pockets of our peo-
lie and adding it to the vast profits
the greatest trust on earth"
While asserting that he was not de-
'nding the Standard Oil company,
n. Smith of California said 1t had
D advantage over others in the re-
ming of OIL The trouble. he said,
as in the transportation of the oil.