The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-04-04
Republican Opponents of
Payne Bill Hold Secret
Meeting to Arrange
for Action
WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
ALSO HOLDS SECRET SESSION
FOR PURPOSES OF DEFENSE
PHILIPPINES HEARD FROM.

WASHINGTON, April 3.--A meet
ing of between 10 and 30 Republican
representatives was held late today
10 organize opposition to the Payne
bill. The meeting was attended by
those standing ont for an opportunity
10 vote ON the hide, lumber. coal,
iron ore and barley schedules. Plans
formulated in the meeting were not
made pMbIic.
A meeting Of the full membership
of the house ways and means conf
1nitfec called for today by Chairman
Payne for the consideration OF vari-
ous amendments to the schedules
and To the administrative features of
the tariff bill was held this afternoon.
The report of this meeting was also
kept secret.
The Philippine islands were again
heard from to-day when Benito La
garda, resident commissioner. spoke
in the house of representatives In OPP
position TO the proposed free trade
between the islands and this country
An earnest plea for restoration of
the Dingley rate on lumber was made
BY Mr.. Sparkman. q; lorida.
President Taft. II Is understood.
strongly favors the idea of applying
the maximum and minimum prinei-
ple and IL Is believed that II will
finally be agreed upon. The plan OF
administering the minimum and max
imum rates in the house bill as IL now
stands. Is said to be indefinite and
less effective than the one proposed
by the senate finance committee.
Prior 10 the cabinet meeting to-
day, Mr.. Taft conferred with Chair-
man Aldrich of the senate finance
committee. and Secretary MacVeagh,
Senator Aldrich assured the president
that the committee Is making most
satisfactory progress with the bill.
and said there would be little or no
delay In taking the matter mp in
The senate.
The administrative features OF tue
senate bill were then discussed. Sem
. ator Aldrich later left for New York
and the finance committee will not
meet during his absence.
Reports. apparently authentic.
have been current that the majority
minimum and maximum principle. as
enunciated in the Payne bill. Pres
ident Taft has not shared this be-
lief and today he received definite as
surances as To the correctness of his
position when Senator Aldrich out
lined his own position and that of
the majority of the finance commit
tee
The difference between the mini
mum and maximum rates will be 20
per cent II Is planned that for nine
months or one year the minimum
rate shall apply to all countries with
out distinction or discrimination. At
the end of this period the maximum
rates automatically will go into ef-
feet against all countries, which in
the opinion of the executive are not
giving the United States their most
favored nation clauses. II, in the
general inquiry that will be made
during the probationary" period, the
president finds that certain nations
are discriminating against the United
States. he will merely refrain from
issuing proclamation regarding
these countries and the maximum
rate heneeforth will apply to them.
This plan gives to the executive
complete power of inquiry and de-
cision. The supreme court of the
United States in case involving the
eonstitutionality of the Mckinley
tariff act. decided that congress by
similar methods of administration,