The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1909-05-12
CALLS TARIFF JOKE
SENATOR CLAPP OF MINNESOTA
IN SPEECH COMMENTS ON
PAYNE SITUATION.
EXPECT DOWNWARD REVISION
No Suggestion, He Says, That Indus
tries Are Not Sufficiently Protected
Stone Takes Issue with His Re-
publican Colleagues.

Washington, May 8.-The session of
the senate was enlivened yesterday
with a speech by Senator Clapp of
Minnesota, who commented upon the
policy of protection and referred to
distinctions between protective
tariff and a tariff for revenue only.
Mr.. Clapp declared that instead of
congress taking up the work OF COM
plete revision of the customs duties
it should have taken one schedule at
time, in which event there would not
have been the great excitement and
the opposition that exists when all the
tariff schedules are taken up for con-
he instanced as having been passed
with little popular attention, while the
last railroad rate legislation, he de-
clared, had met opposition because
agitation had excited the public mind
and caused widespread opposition
and predictions of danger to the in
terests affected. So the present tariff
opposition, he said, had been pro-
voked by widespread agitation, where
as had the schedules been taken up
separately revision could more easily
have been accomplished.
Talks Of Public Demand.
The promise of the Republican
that the tariff should be revised down.
ward, and he asserted that this prom
Use had been made in response to a
positive demand He said that the
position on the part of the protective
interests was that 1--WE should let well
enough alone and on the part of the
consumers that the tariff should be
revised"
You can't tell me-" he said, that
the latter demand did not mean that
the tariff should be revised down
ward. To take any other position is
mere boys play, nothing less than a
farce, and if l did not believe the
duties were to be lowered in response
to this exaction 1 would pack my grip
and go home, for, as SENATOR I am
not required to participate in such a
farce as the mere re-enactment of the
Dingley rates.
"The people understood that we
the men who made the platform under
stood it,; we understood it. Every
body understood it, and no amount of
sophistry can otherwise explain the
popular demand and the party prom
Use.
IF this PROMISE" he said, was for
a revision that would mean the main
tenance of the Dingley rates then we
are confronted by the Righteousness
of the chief executive calling congress
together to revise something that
should stand unchanged until the end
of time. When the people made the
demand for tariff revision downward
there was no suggestion that these in
dustries were not sufficiently pro-
tected. If the demand for revision did
not mean changing the duties down.
ward it did not mean anything and
we are indulging in farce now"
Gives Boost to Opponents.
Declaring that if congress should
fail now to lower the tariff rates, the
Democratic party would be put in po-
sition to so revise it two years hence,
Senator Clapp said he did not wish to
use threats, but merely to tell the
truth.
"The American people," he added,
"have determined upon this revision
downward and anything else will dis
appoint them. 1t may be in your
power" he said, as he faced the Re-
publican senator's, ito act contrary to
the wishes of the people, but so sure
as you do that, two years from now
this tariff will be revised not by the
friends of protection, but by the enc
mics of protection
When the lead schedule was again
taken up for consideration, Senator
Stone took issue with his Republican
colleague, Senator Warner, on the du-
ties provided in the bill, declaring
that the rates of the house bill were
sufficient to protect the great lead in
dustry of his state and that the in
creases made by the senate commit
tee on finance were unnecessary for
that industry.
did not the house committee in fix
ing these rates take into considera
ton what was needed to protect the
lead industry in view of wage condi
tons here and abroad?" asked Sena
tor Clapp.
Certainly; I suppose they did, al
though I am not in their confidence
replied Senator Stone.
C., M, Webster Is Dead,