The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1909-08-19
What the People VIII Pay Less
and Mere For President
Tafi's Fight For Down.
ward Revision.
HISTORY or THE BILL.

The new tariff law VIII be known IN
history as the Payne bin. taking Its
name from the chairman OF the house
committee Of ways and means. the
Hon. Serene v. Payne Of New York.
who also had a part In framing the
Mckinley and Dingley acts. Actually
II should perhaps be called the Payne
Aldrich bill, as the chairman Of the
senate iinance committee has had quite
as much TO do with debating its tinal
| provisions as Mr. Payne. On this line
Of reasoning. however, there are those
who insist that II should be called the
| Taft bill. as the hand OF the president
has been seen In all the moves that
have shaped II from the days OF the
Republican national convention that
for tariff revision up until the hour of
the final fight in conference committee,
when the big man In the White House
made bis historic fight for free raw
materials and for carrying out the
promises Of the party.
II 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 strikingly like that OF
the present In each case II was en-.
acted by an extra session Of congress-
called as the first act OF an incoming
administration. More noteworthy STILL
each of these extra sessions was called
TO meet on March 10, 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 agitation within the Republican
party for revision Of the Dingley
act has gone on from the days OF the
'Iowa idea" until at last II eliminated
in the plank In the last Republican
platform beginning.
"rhe Republican party declares un.
equivocally for revision Of the tar
IN by special session Of congress i'm
mediately following the inauguration
OF the next president"
In his campaign on that platform
Mr.. Taft construed this plank as mean.
ing revision downward. point that he
insisted on In his speeches and finally |
cllnched In his inaugural address when
he said that conditions had so changed /
relative to the Dngley 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 bill. 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 "the
encouragement and protection Of man
ufactures" From that time political
parties Of national scope have clashed
on the issue Of the tariff as to whether
or not IL should be more than "for
revenue only"
The expenses Of the war OF 1872
necessitated a material increase In the
tariff, but mn adjustment occurred two
years after the close OF the war
through an act prepared by Henry
Clay
In 1926 the tariff was jumped up a
few pegs. and year later II went
higher. from 81 to Al per cent.
when. In 1882, a bill establishing
protective tariff policy was passed
South Carolina refused to recognize
the validity Of the increased duties
and threatened to secede. President
Jackson had to dispatch a warship to
South Carolnaian waters.
A horizontal reduction Of the tariff
took place in 1893. Twelve years later,
under Polk's administration, bill j
drafted by Robert J. Walker, secretary
Of the treasury. was adopted. standing
mildly for the protective policy. This
bill lasted until 1857. when reduction
to 20k per cent occurred on the aver
ige duties. Actually free trade sys-
tenn. this low tarlff proved adequate
for all government needs until the out Z
break Of the civil war. when an In {
sreased income was necessitated.
The Morrill, Bill.
iuties about one-third, and the tax
was extended to include tea, coffee
md sugar. Internal revenue was col
ected. beginning In 1862, and two years
atcr the duties we're raised so per !
ent for a period Of ninety days
After a succession OF tariff measures
0 the wars close cessation OF this
orm OF legislative activity occurred. c
snt ia 1870 and 1872 reductions were
nade down the list. some OF which +
we're restored In 1874. making the av. =
rage duty 3sk per cent tariff
commission was appointed In 1852 d
ghich prepared bin that was put on
be statute books, lasting SIX years II s
vas nj this time that James @ Blaine I
ook a most active part Ia tariff dis c
ussions II was in The early eighties J
hat william X Morrison OF Illinois
chairman Of ways and
means. prepared bis well known bor >
sonial reduction Of 20 per cent on all q
sxed products. which was defeated
During cleveiapd's drst administra, N
lon the Mills bin was powerful IL :,
ne. and in 1883 the tariff fight result !,
q IN the election OF Benjamin Har
lson to The presidency He stood for
high protective fsrfff As result C
be Mckinley bill was enacted. putting
be duties over the marks reached dur .
ag the ciTIl war n
The Wilson Bill. y
Bot the reyulsion which followed re-
uited in the reelection OF Cleveland O