The Detroit times., 1909-03-23

the bill paragraph by paragraph,
\ for amendments without any gen.
eral debate. The Republicans were
not in favor Of this, said Mr.. Clark.
The general debate on the bill will
therefore probably last some time.
IA WASHINGTON. March 22.--lt was
|.12:05 o'clock today when Chairman
Payne, OF the ways and means com
miitee. opened inc debate on the tariff
bill As he rose 20 address the chair
he was loudly applauded by the Re
pnblicans. lie said he did not believe
n Sc wofth while 10 indulge in any acaG-
Eculic discussion OF the tariff, lie said
Protection was an American policy and
4 had been endorsed by the people
There had been some change ON the
tariff question i'll the past 20 years,
and he doubted IL anyone could be
found with common sense who would
be willing to tear d wn every custom
house in the country. Conditions wner
the Mckinley bill was passed were
X, entirely different from the present con-
difions There was plenty OF money
in the treasury then. The Mckinley
bill took the duty off sugar and en-
I ccuraged the home industry by giving
4 bounty. The Mckinley bin became
Jaw 80 days before the election and
before the falsehoods charged against
tue bill could be explained. The ma
jority at that election went against the
promoters OF the bill. In 1894, he said,
n we had the Wilson bill, which was
protective ia spots and free trade in
spots. In 1897 the Mckinley bill was
passed. and its purpose was TO raise
q revenue He then gave some inter
esting figures to show that as rev.
enue producer the Mckinley bill was
success Outside Of the postal re-
ceipts the revenue produced by the
8 Mckinley act from July /, 1897. 70
!, March 1t, 1906, was $6.55S, 220 ,264, and
! the expenditures OF the government
for same period were S6,4S3.664, T06,
.sshowing a surplus of $74, $50. 40s, and
this. Mr.. Payne said. did not include
+ $50, 000, 900 spent on the Panama canal.
The deficit had been in postal re-
ceipts.
Tie Republican platform pledged
the country To tariff revision, but long
before the Chicago convention the
B ways and means committee anticlpat-
ed this pledge and began 10 WORK on
the tariff.
Mr.. Payne said he saw the presi-
dcnt and asked II he could have clerks
from the departments TO be used 10
help the committee.
The president said. You may have
all the CLERKS desired"
The tariff experts in the department
were called before the committee aud
assisted in the work. Agents OF the
bureau of manufactures were sent
abroad to get facts at first hand for
the use of The committee. The COM
mittee. he said, sat early and late lis
X tefiing TO testimony and reading state
ments of the manufacturers OF the
American products. When the pre-
liminary work was over the majority
OF the members of the committee act
ing az a subcommittee, framed the
tariff bill. The six or seven members
composing the minority could have
framed the bill 10 offer as a substitute.
but he didn't know what action had
been taken. He said it was true there
was q deficit and that the appropria-
lions of the last congress amounted TO
S1.O44.00o. These appropriations not
only called for the cash In the treas
4 ury, but must he met from the reve-
nres. Under the law the sinking fund
required $50, 100000. but this fund was
in default several hundred million
dollars. When the Panama canal leg
isfatior was passed IL was 10 be
maid for by bond. so that posperity
should pay its share. He then called
attention to an item OF $36,6s5,000 for
the Panama canal which must be paid
from money raised by taxation.
Rep Tawney said Il was provided
IN rttIe s1Infry ctvff btu that the APP
ntepriation for the Panama canal
shou;d be met by a bond issue, but
the issue Of bonds went out or point
of order.
Mr. Payne then suggested that an
amendment of this character could be
made IL the bill.
I'm speaking OF the maximum and
minimum rate, Mr.. Payne said the
object of that was to secure for the
United States the same treatment &C
corded other nations. He did not sup
pose. he said. that every paragraph
of the bill met the approval OF every
member. but the bill was the best
Judgment of the IL members of the
committee. Rep. Longworth asked
Mr.. Payne TO explain section which
provides for the maximum and mini
mum rates. Mr. Payne admitted thai
in the hurry of getting the bill to
eether a number Of errors had crep
in and that section 4 contains sew
eral of them. He then read n substi
fute for section 4 which he will offel
ri the proper time. These corrections
will make Il clear that the minimum
rate will be extended TO countries tha
give a preferential rate 10 that coun
trys colonies.
Tau Probes Land Fraud.