The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1909-04-01

ldct, PARTICULARLY IN recent years, tHat
the tariff measure as 1t is finally
written into law Is prepared in the
Senate. The Constitution gives the
coordinate branch of congress the
right to alter and amend, and the up
per house never fails to take advant-I
age of this right 1t is admitted that
this prerogative win be exercised in
the case of the pending lariff meas
ure, and exercised without much re-
straint. Thus, while the Payne bill
Is the raw material from which a.
tariff act will be rr2de, the senate
measure will be the ..nished product.
The Payne bill had no sooner been
introduced in the house and made
public than the senate committee on
Finance which has the handling of
tariff bills in that body began its con-
sideration for revision and amend
ment. so as to be in readiness to act.
as soon as the measure should come
over from the house. No one serious
ly expects that the bill as 1t now
stands will become a law, although
it is likely TO pass the house without
material change, except in certain
particulars, chiefly amendments
which the ways and meansNcommlttee
itself will offer. 1t seems probable
that some radical alterations will be
made in the senate. To these the
house will doubtless agree to the
most of them, as it usually does.
All things considered the bill is
generally regarded as the best in the.
circumstances that could have been
gottan out, of the committee. No
tariff measure is perfect, and it 3
conceded even by most of its friends,
that there are some weak points in
the pending measure, and efforts.
will be made to improve, these. In
order to get the bill through the
house speedily the time and opportun-
ity for offering amendments will De
narrowly, limited, and therefore what
ever changer are made must be made
in the senate. ...
The Payne bill enjoys an adVant-
age which no other tariff measure has
had since the civil war. 1t is more
distinctly non-partisan than any tar
if bill which has come out of the
ways and means committee in half
century, and there are indications
that it will receive the support of a
large number of democrats, perhaps
twenty, and some say as high as for
ty They will vote for it not because
they believe in it in its entirety, but
because they favor some special pro-
vision which 1t contains. When the
Dingley bill was passed Representa-
tive Slayden, OF Texas. gained some
distinction by being the only demo
crat, except two from Louisiana, who
wanted projection on sugar, who voted
for it. Protection TO wool influenced
his vote. It now happens that a com
paratively large number of southern
democrats are anxious. for protection,
not only for wool on stexas sheep, but
for rice, lumber! sugar and other pro
duets of the south. These democrats
want even higher protection than the
bill affords. " i. .'".' ..".
Various sectional interests are de,
manding additional duties. New
England wants more tariff on boots
and shoes, but free hides, while the
west wants. duty on hides. PennsyI.
yania will seek to increase the du
ties in the steel schedule. From the
Pacific Coast, the northwest, the
south and even New England comes
a demand for a restoration of the pres
enI duty on lumber.
The New Hampshire legislature has
taken action adverse to the inner
itance. tax, but it is likely that this
feature will be retained in the bill,
for the purpose of the revenue which
il will afford.