Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-03-23
Formal Consideration OF Vol
luminous Bill Is Begun Mon
day Morning-Senate Per-
fects Its Reorganization.
PAYNE DEFENDS BILL
IN OPENING SPEECH;
MANY QUESTIONS ASKED
Caucuses Are Held by Republicans
and Democrats i'm Regard 20 Pol
icy of Discussion-Senate VIII
Guard all Provisions of Schedules.

nv Associated EEe4aN
WASHINGTON, March Z--both houses
NJ CONGRESS assembled at noon today
Practically the only business to come
before the senate viii be the reorganiza-
tson of committees and the formal an
nouncement Of their personnel Most OF
the old senator's in point OF service VIII
retain their former places on the commit
tees.
First Gun in the House
rha nrst gun in the tariff debate was
fred IN the house OF representatives To-
dav by Mr. Payne, New York, the ma
forfty leader and chairman OF the COM
mfttee on ways and means BEFORE ne
began his remarks an agreement was
reached under which. while the Dill Is
nader consideration. the daily sessions
shaT start at IL o'clock instead Of noon
IN openinR Mr. Payne declared that the
country was Overwhelmingly IN taNor
~ a protective tariff. 1t Is an American
poHcy he said and II seemed TO be &C
oufesced In by the great majority OF the
American people
Ee Aid not believe. he added, that there
Eas a man within the sound OF his voice
who would rise in his seat ana say ne
vas in favor of tearing down every Gus
tom house in the United States from tur-
ret 90 foundation
Refers TO History
Mr. Pavne reiterated the conditions sur
rounding the enactment OF the Mckinley,
Wilson. DingIey and present tariff meas
,,res. In the first case. he said. there
wasa superabundance OF receipts and
We tried 70 get rfd OF some Of II by that
bill
Coming to the Dingley bill. Mr.. Payne
declared Il had proved 70 be q boon 10
the people OF the United States, In proof
n which statement he cited the immense
collections OF revenue and expenditures
under II as given IN his recent report on
the bill Those expenditures, he said,
include ss0oo0.O00 for the panama canal
for which no bonds are issued
The Entire Surplus
so that" he said, the entire surplus
over the ordinary expenditures of the
government has been about $l25,Wo,O
during that period
There had. however, been a deficit for
the period in the postoffice receipts
amounting TO 81. I4447s. which he attrib-
uted largely TO the enormous expendi-
lures on account OF the rural free deliv-
cry Notwithstanding such enormous
drains, he said. there was surplus Of
s25.0o0.0oo Of ordinary receipts of all kinds
over expenditures.
for a revenue bill which was also a pro-
tsctive measure"
Mr.. Payne called attention to the great
expenditure as the result OF the war
with Spain, despite which. he said. a
surplus was left in the treasury.
Revision Hats Business
Discussing maximum ana minimum
tariffs as against the reciprocity provis-
ions OF the Mckinley and Dingiey laws.
Mr.. Payne said the minimum tariff was
on the basis Of a protective rate while
the maximum tariff was much higher,
even q hundred per cent Increase in
some instances. over the minimum.
No tariff. he declared. could be revised
without hating business. He declared
the revenues were not keeping up with
the expenditures and the time had come
to hunt for more revenues The bill, he
said. had been prepared with the greatest
care as the result OF long hours of work.
and with the fullest information before
the committee. He attributed the loss OF
revenue 10 the business disturbances OF
1907 and 1905.
Nr. Payne said there was hope that
during the first year of the bill there
would be no deficit but IL the revenue
should fall short, I'VE have in the treas
ury xss.ooooo0 Of available cash assets to
meet IT.
Will dNNdCk
Champ Clark, leader OF the minority
party in the house. followed in a speech
In opposition TO the measure. and a vigor-
Gus attack upon many Of its provisions.
These leaders will be followed in turn by
many members OF their respective parties
The meetings OF the two houses today
were preceded by meetings of both the
Democratic and Republican caucuses to
take action upon the committee selec-
tons.
Senate Plans Secrecy
EmuIatInx the ways and means COM
mittee OF the house. the Republican
members Of the finance committee of the
senate will take extraordinary precau-
tons to prevent the divulging Of scher-
uies agreed upon for the new tariff bill
until such time as the bill has been per-
fected- In the few sessions Of the com
mittee that have been held rates have not
r. been discussed at all. The business has
been confined TO questions of procedure.
such as agreeing upon the employment
OF certain experts in tariff-making to
aid IN preparing a bill
All OF the Republican senator's have
agreed that they will not discuss rates
outside Of the committee rooms. Fol-
lowing the usual custom. the Democratic
members OF the finance committee will
not be consulted until the bill has been
completed
They will have an opportunity TO exam
sne II. however. before the measure is
reported 20 the senate. although this
courtesy has not been shown In the past
end is contrary to the procedure observ-
ed BY the house committee on ways and
means In connection with the Payne bin.
The Republican members Of the ways
and means committee completed their
bill and IL was introduced in the house
before the Democratic members II the
committee saw IT, The first chance they
hed "a a,rrazz fhaunsaTxreS 1snon IL nc