New-York tribune., 1909-09-18
DIFFERENCE IN TWO BILLS NOT GREs

Mr. Payne reported a bilI--the Payne tariff
bil-which went 10 the Senate and Was amend =
shinSs ana decreasing IL on others. The differ
'ence between the House bill and the Senate bin
was very much less than the newspapers repre-
scented Il turns out upon examination that the
reductions in the Senate were about equal 10
those IN the House. though they differed in char
Hcter
ciscussion OF a tariff BILL for the reason that IL
covers so many different items The meaning
of the terms and the percentages are most diff
fcult 70 understand. The passage Of a new bill,
especially where change in the method of as
zessing the duties has been followed, presents
sn opportunity for various modes and calcula-
tions OF the percentages Of increases and de-
creases that IS really most misleading. or really
shrows no light az all upon the changes made.
one way OF stating what done Is 90 say
what the fscts show that under the Dingley law
Where were 2024 items This included dutia BILE
stems only; The Payne law leaves .1J0 Of these
stems unchanged. There decreases in GA
Of me stems and increases I'm 300 OF the iteni
Now. OF course. that does not give fun picture,
but IL does show the proportion OF decrea ses to
have been three times those of the increases
Now, attempts have been made 10 show what
she real effect Of these changes has been by
comparing the imports under the Verious sche-
nules. snd assuming that the changes and their
Importance were in proportion 20 the imDOrta-
tions Nothing could be more unjust IN pro-
rective tariff which also contains revenue pro-
visions some Of the tariff is made for the pur-
pose Of increasing the revenue 10y Increasing
smportations which shall pay duty. Other items
ducing competition. that is by reducing impor-
fatOns ano therefore the question Of the inpOr-
tance OF change IN rate cannot In the slightest
degree be determined by the amount OF imports
that take place.
Ia order 20 determine the importance of the
changes u Is much farer 20 take the articles on
which the rates OF duty have been reduced and
those ON which the rates OF duty have been in
creased, and then determine from statistics how
large part the articles upon which duties have
been reduced play In the consumption OF the
country ana how large part those upon which
The duties nave been increased play in the con-
sumption Of the country. Such table has been
prepared by Mr. Payne than whom there Is no
one VINO understands better what the tariff Is
sno who has given more attention 20 the details
or the schedules
Vow. let us take Schedule A--chemicals oils
ADO paint, The articles upon which the dutv
has been decreased are consumed In this eorntrs
10 the extent OF S5.}3o00oe0 The articles lInon
which the duty has been increased are conslgr,e6
IN TINS country 20 the extent OF S1l .oeDDp0
Take Schedule B-earthen and glass a,sra
The artirles on which the duty has been de-
creased entered IN the consumption OF tho co,,n-
Try 20 The amount of s12s 100000 and there hs,
been no increase In duty such articles
Take Schedule C-metals and their rnarsf
fzctures The amount To which such artictes
entered INTO the consumption Of The cotntrv 1,
fi.Zst 100000. whereas the articles OF the xarn4
ecEeoue on which there has been an incrcaa Ar