The Detroit times., 1909-03-22

therefore probably last some time.
WASHINGTON. March z2.-It was
1905 o'clock today when Chairman
Payne. OF the ways and means com
mittee. opened the debate on the tariff
bill. AS he rose To address the chair
he was loudly applauded by the Re-
publicans. He said he did not believe
II worth while 10 indulge In any acad-
emic discussion OF the tariff. He said
protection was an American policy and
had been endorsed by the people
There had been some change on the
tariff question In the past 20 years,
and he doubted IL anyone could be
found with common sense who would
be willing 10 tear wn every custom
house Ia the country. Conditions wner
the Mckinley Dill was passed were
entirely different from the present con-
ditions. There was plenty Of money
in the treasury then. The Mckinley
bill took the duty OF sugar and en-
ccuraged the home Industry by giving
bounty. The Mckinley bill became
law 30 days before the election and
before the falsehoods charged against
the bill could be explained The ma
jority at that election went against the
promoters OF the bill In 1894. he said,
we had the Wilson BILL which was
protective ia spots and Tree trade in
spots In 1897 the Mckinley bill was
passed, and its purpose was TO raise
revenue. He then gave some inter
.estiag figures to show that as a rev.
enue producer the Mckinley bill was
q success Outside OF the postal re-
ceipts the revenue produced by the
Mckinley act from July 1, 1897, 70
March 10, 1905. was 81 $500, 264, and
the expenditures OF the government
for same period were S6,4S3 .664, 706.
showing a surplus Of S74.555,40S, and
this. Mr. Payne said, did not include
$4,000 900 spent on the Panama canal.
rhe deficit had been Ia postal re-
ceipts
The Republican platform pledged
the country TO tariff revision. but iong
before the Chicago convention the
ways and means committee anticipat'
ed this pledge and began to work on
the tariff.
Mr.. Payne said he saw the presi-
dent and asked II he could have clerks
from the departments to be used TO
leIp the COIuHllttt.
The president said: You may have
all the clerks desired"
The tariff experts In the department
were called before the committee aud
assisted in the work. Agents or the
bureau of manufactures were sent
abroad TO get facts at first hand Tor
the use OF the committee. The COM
ruittee, he said, sat early and late lis
tening TO testimony and reading state
lnents of the manufacturers or the
American products. When the pre-
lininary work was over the majority
OF the members OF the committee act
ing az subcommittee, framed the
tariff bill. The six or seven members
composing the minority could nave
framed the bill TO offer Us substitute,
but he didn't know what action hau
been taken. He said II was true there
was q deficit and that the appropria-
lions OF the last congress amounted 10
81 ,O44. 900. These appropriations not
only called for the cash In the treaS-
ury, but must be met from the reve
nues. Under the law the sinking funo
required $5O,00O.000, but TINS rund was
In default several hundred million
dollars. When the Panama canal leg
islatiop was passed II was 10 De
paid for by bond, so that Prosperity
should pay its share. He then called
attention to an item OF $36,6S5,OO0 for
the Panama canal which must be paid
from money raised by taxation.
Rep. Tawney said It was provided
in the sundry civil bill that the ap.
nropriation for the Panama canal
should be met by bond issue. bul
the issue Of bonds went out on point
OF order.
Mr.. Payne then suggested that an
amendment OF this character could De
made ir the bill.
In speaking OF the maximum ana
minimum rate,, Mr.Payne= sabine
object OF that was to secure Tor the
United States the same treatment ac-
corded other nations. He did not sup
nose. he said, that every paragraph
OF the bill met the approval OF every
member. but the bill was the best
Judgment of the IL members OF the
committee. Rep. Longworth asked
Mr.. Payne to explain section which
provides for the maximum and mini
mum rates. Mr.. Payne admitted that
in the hurry OF getting the Dill to-
gether q number OF errors had crept
in and that section 4 contains sew
eral Of them. He then read a subsu-
tute for section 4 which he will oner
at the proper time. These corrections
VIII make Il clear that the minimum
rate will be extended to countries that
give a preferential rate to that coun-