New-York tribune., 1909-03-19
7zr TARIFF RTLL WE'LL RECEIVED.

THE TARIFF BILL WELL RECEIVED.
The Pavne bill has taken the wind out Of the
sails Of those who were prepared to believe that
the Republican majority in the House of Rep
resentatives would not honestly and seriously
ATTEMPT to revise the tariff. These critics nave
always treated as a paradox the idea OF III
trusting a revision Of the tariff TO its friends
They were convinced that the Dingley law
could be modernzed only 10y its enemies Now
that The party which passed the DlngIey law
has shown a desire to amend it along common
sense lines and to make il more SerYlceable as
means of extending commerce. as well as
means of protecting domestic industry, those
who have long secuted the possibility of
friendly revision which would really revise are
nonplusSed and not a little incredulous.
They cannot deny that the Payne Dill Is
vast improvement over the DinGley law. Yet
they fight aaginSt a frank ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
that il contains a far more effective and en-
lightened tariff scheme than did the wilson
bill when il passed the House Of Representa-
tives or the Wilson orman act when the latter
measure was reluctantly accepted by the House
and allowed 10 become law by President
Cleveland. They try to damn the Payne OH
with faint praise. although they must in their
hearts acknowledge that it is much better SUIT
ed To the present needs Of the country thah
anv tariff law which would have been drawn
had Mr.. Bryan been elected President ana con-
trol of Congress had passed to the party theo-
retfcallv. and still in part practically. opposed
10 protection.
Never before in our generation has taflH
bill representing the views Of the majority
party in the House of Representatives. peen
received with such general friendlness as IS
being shown toward the Payne measure. Inc
Mckinley bill and the Wilson bill both en-
co,,ntered violent opposition and excited bitter
partfsan and sectional animosties. The rage
Of that period seems to-day almost unintel-
ligible now that the tariff has ceased to De a
sectional issue and the great majority OF voters
orarrvrhnre concern themselves little with the
effect Of tariff legislation on politics and very
greatly with the effect of such Legislation on ha
tionaI development and the general welfare. As
we have often said. what the voters OF both
Darties want is 10 see the protective system
maintained and made useful. ana both the au-
vantages and burdens of protection distributed
and eoualized They do not get excited about
mere catch-xords like 'tariff-taXation Is ron
bery" and they are ready to welcome the
measure Just presented in the House because
If shows progress and intelligence and promises
fafrer and more scientific treatment of prob
lem long heclouded by the smoke Of sectional
and partisan cOmbatS-
1t is noteworthy that the objections 50 Iar
raised 10 the Payne OH tpliiF Li'LIl i'i''A'@''
which have nothing in common # is said that
the lumber people on the Pacific Slope VIII
5pb+ the reductions in the lumber schedule.
Ruf on the other hand the states of the Mis-
sissfi,rli Valley hold that the cuts in the lum-
her schedule are not deep enough. Michigan
and Colorado are reported 70 object TO the CON
&c -sfons on Philippine sugar. Wyoming ana
Texas want the duty on hides retained, while
New England wants ii abolished. Some dlSSat-
isfacrion is said 10 exist with the change in the
administrative law dealing with the valuation
Of imports consigned here which do not enter
the market and therefore have no definite mar
l5a+ value in the country of their production.
Ru+ that Is a detail Of little importance to the
r11blic Fear is also expressed that the new
maximum tariff may he applied 70 consider
able volume of our imports But this fear has
little foundation since the United States does
not insist on enforcing the maximum rates nor
malIv and giving the minimum rates only to
nations granting us special concessions. hut
enforces the minimum rates normally and calls
the maximum into operation only against
nation which does not treat us so well as it
treats other nations. We should therefore not
he obliged 10 apply the maximum against Great
Britain. which cannot exchange concessions. so
long as we enter the British market on an
eoualitv with other nations. The complaints
so far made against the Payne bill are dis
iointed and scattering. They represent no gen
eral protest and fortunately are incapable of
rousing any serious partisan or sectional dis
satisfaction.