The Washington herald., 1909-03-19

OF Representatives do not bring in a rule |
to cut out the fve-minute debate on the 1
tariff bill. there viii be no bill introduced /
BY the Democrats.
If this privilege is cut out, a bill VIII |
be presented
Inc minority members OF the Ways and /
Means Committee VIII meet this morn
Ing at 10 O'Clock and go over the bill in
troduced by Chairman Payne Wednes-
day. Then Champ Clark. the ranking
Democratic member OF the COMMITTEES.
viii be authorized to draft the minority
report.
Without Amendment.
The Payne bin, which was referred to
the Ways and Means Committee on
wednesday. soon after it was introduced
Dy Mr.. Payne. was yesterday reported
back to the House without a single
amendment Tie committee sat but
twelve minutes considering the bin. Rep
resentative Br0ussard. OF Louisiana a
democrat voted with the Republicans in
their report favoring the bin, while the
other Democrats voted solidIy against II.
Mr. Broussard is a proteetionist, and ad-
mits 1t. and his action in siding with the
majority was the cause OF no surprise.
Following the meeting OF the fun com
mittee. the Democrats held a caucus 10
make plans for action. Mr. Broussard
remained only long enough % tel his
colleagues that he was voting with the
Republicans on the question. and that
he didn't suppose his presence was de.
manded.
The minority members OF the commit
tee did not go over the bill yesterday. but
will meet this morning for that purpose.
Only the general provisions Of the bill
We're discussed.
M Payne yesterday offered a resoiC-
ton providing FOR the printing OF 5000
copies Of HIS bill. $500 OF them 10 be IN
document form, and contain the views OF
the minority members OF the committee.
a long discussion was precIpitated. and
finally the resolution was passed.
Accompanying the bill as reported from
the committee was a lengthy report.
which SET out the views OF the members
OF the committee. and gave the PRINCIPAL
changes the bin advocates from the pres-
eat tariG schedules The report was
similar In many details 10 the statement
given out by Chairman Payne at the time
he introduced the bin. but the introduc-
Ton Is devoted TO a detailed explanation
OF the committees reason for its course
in framing the bin.
Reasons for Revision.
The report sets out that there are +v-o
reasons for the revision Of The tar,rr
First since the DingIey law went into
effect twelve years ago there has arisen
many complications in tariff matters. and
that where certain hxed duties were Just
At the time they were provided. they are
now either too low or exorbitant.
II Is also pointed out that the public de-
mand IS Cor the revision Of the tarin. and
that the Republican national ticker was
elected last fan with the understanding
that the revision would be made.
In the second place, IL Is said that since
the enactment OF the Dingiey tariF law
many foreign countries have sso,tAd
tariffs with minimum and maximum,
schedules. so that section 3 OF the present
law IS not sufficiently broad 10 meet the
demands. as the new foreign tariffs de-
mand the higher rate on a greater part os
American exports.
Not Easy Task.
Setting forth that It IS BY no means :,
easy task 10 present a bin revising tbo
hundreds Of schedules in the tarjrr Ian
the report then goes into a discussion ~
the Importance OF the work: Of the large
amount OF money az stake, and tells ~
the great number OF American Industries
that VIII be benefited BY the revision as
laid down in the bill
The protection OF American industries
Is set forth as the most urgen; need
against the cries from all parts OF the
country for revision. Then the report
goes into a long discussion OF the neoes-
sity for raising revenues TO wipe out the
national deficit
II IS said that until the recent financial
depression throughout the country the
revenue derived under the Dingley law
was sufficient 10 meet the demands OF
the government II is stated that. taking
the entire period from 1897. the date OF
the passage Of the Dingley law, until 1909
there has been a surplus OF revenue re-
SASS. fOS The total receipts for this pc
Rod. exclusive Of postal revenues. was
S6-55Sr 20 264, and the expenditures, excIu-
sive OF postal expenses. S. 4S3. 664 S5s. Com
ment is made on the present Industrial
depression, and relative 70 that the com
mittee says;
Revenues May Increase.
TT is the hope Of the committee that
with the return OF business prosperity
the revenues will show a large percent
age Of increase and VIII prove entirely
adequate for any natural and economical
scale OF expenditures
The committee insists that the entire
expense Of constructing the Panama
Canal should be paid by a bond issue.
This plea is made in connection with the
explanation Of the sfO,OO0,O00 bond issue
authorized for the canal
While there was a good deal OF dis
satisfaction expressed among the mem
bers about some Of the schedules in the
bin, few Of the members were willing
TO commit themselves as TO their opin-
ion on the whole measure. Most OF
them said they had not had time 20 90
over the bill thoroughly, and that some
OF the schedules were satisfactory TO
them while others were not
One OF the leading Democrats said that
IN a great many cases the bill provided
duties that meant only revenues for the
government, but that other schedules
seemed entirely for protection
In the Democrats bill, II they present
one, the schedules that appear to be for
protection WIN be Cuf down 60 "a II