Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-08-12
HISTORY OF THE BILL.

HISTORY OF THE BILL.
The new tariff law will be known in
history as the Payne bill. taking its
name from the chairman Of the house
committee Of ways and means. the
Hon. Serene r. Payne Of New York.
who also hnd part in framing the
and Dineley acts. Actually
It should perhaps be called the Payne
Aldrich bill. as the chairman of the
senate finance committee has hud quite
as much to do with debating its final
provisions as Mr. Payne. On this line
OF reasoning. however. there are those
who insist that 1t should be called the
Taft bill, as the hand Of the president
has been seen In all the moves that
have shaped It from the days OF the
Republican national convention that
nominated him and adopted plank
for thrift revision up until the hour of
the final fight in conference committee,
when the big man In the White House
made his historic fight for free raw
materials and for carrying out the
promises of the party.
1t Is the first time there has been a
change of the tariff laws in twelve
years. the Dlngley act having gone
into effect In 1897. The inception OF
that law was strikingy like that Of
the present. In each case 1t was en-
acted by an extra session Of congress,
called as the first act Of an incoming
administration. More noteworthy still.
ench of these extra sessions was called
to meet on March Is. the first one
having been issued by William McKin-
ley Of Ohio, the last by William How
ard Taft of Ohio.
The Tariff Plank.
The agitat ton within the Republican
party for revision Of the Dingley
act has gone on from the days of the
iowa idea" until at last 1t eliminated
In the plank 10 the last Republican
platform beginning:
"The Republican party declares un-
equivocally for a revision Of the tar
III by a special session Of congress i'm
nediately following the Inauguration
Of the next president"
In his campaign on that platform
Mr.. Taft construed this plank as mean
ing revision downward. n point that he
insisted on In his speeches and finally
clinched In bis inaugural address when
be said that conditions had so changed
relative to the Dingley act that they
twill permit the reduction Of rates in
certain schedules and will require the
Advancement Of few. II any" That
meant revision downward, which was
recognized substantially by the house
bill. but was changed to actual re-
vision upward by the senate Dill. 1t
was at this point that the president
quietly but firmly injected himself
into the fight in the conference be.
tween the two houses. the house stand.
Ing behind him and forcing the senate
to yield. The Payne bill in its present
form is the result.
First Tariff Bill.
The first tariff bill enacted in the
United States was that Of the First
congress. The opening section Of that
bill stated that, in addition to securing
money for the support Of the govern
ment, the tariff was adopted for 1.-THE
encouragement and protection Of man
ufactures." From that time political
parties Of national scope have FLASHED
Oh the issue Of the tariff as to whether
or not It should be more than "fol
revenue only"
The expenses Of the war OF 1871.
necessitated a material increase in the
tariff, but an adjustment occurred two
years after the close of the wal
through an act prepared by Henry
Clay.
In 1926 the tariff was Jumped up 9
few pegs, and q year later it wen'
higher. from 81 to II per cent.
When, in 1882, a bill establishing {
protective tarin policy was passed
South Carolina refused to recognize
the validity Of the increased dutie!
and threatened to secede. Presiden
Jackson had to dispatch a warship t.
South Carollnaian waters.
horizontal reduction of the tariff
took place In 1888. Twelve years later
under Folks administration. a bill
drafted by Robert J. Walker, secretar!
of the treasury. was adopted. standin,
mildly for the protective policy. Thu
bill lnsted until 1857. when q reduction
to 2Oh per cent occurred on the aver
age duties. Actually n free trade sys
tenn. this low tariff proved adequat
for oil government needs until the out
break of the civil war. when an IN
creased income was necessitnted.
Tho Morrill, Bill.
The Morrill, act Of 1861 increase,
duties about one-third. and the Ia
, was extended to include tea, COTE
and sugar. Internal revenue was co
lected. beginning in 1862, and two year
J later the duties were raised so pe
cent for a period Of ninety days.
) After succession Of tariff measure
, to the wars close a cessation of th
form Ct legislative activity occurre,
, But in 1870 and 1872 reductions we,
0 made down the list. some of whic
n were restored in 1874. making the q
], erage duty 3Sh per cent. A tart
@ commission was appointed in 49,
0 which prepared bill that was put q
Q the statute books, lasting six years.
r was al this time that james G. BlaiE
!. took most active part In tariff d
! cussiOns. II was In the early eighth
that william r. Morrison Of Illinoi
,. Democratic chairman of ways a.
a means. prepared his we'll known ho
v izontal reduction Of 20 per cent on Z