Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-24
WOULD HAVE SAVED TIME
Minority Could Have Assumed Re-
sponsibility for Economy.
ERRORS IN PAYNE MEASURE
Mistake Not to Have Arranged Re-
vision Of Basis Of Raising Rev
enue Only on Every Item.

Interest in today's tariff discussion IT,
the House Of Representatives centered I'm
the speech of Mr.. Clark (MssourD. mi
nority leader and ranking democratic
member Of the committee on ways and
means
From the outset Mr.. Clark's remarks
commanded attention. At times he in
jected humor into what he had to say.
and frequently was interrupted by ap-
plause
AS a preliminary to his set speech Mr..
Clark provoked the House to great laugh
ter and Mr.. Olmsted Of PENNSYLVANIA. the
chairman, to no little embarrassment by
congratulating him upon the advent yes
terday of a son.
For Mr.. Payne. the minority leader had
only words Of praise. His remarks In
that connection ELECTED applause on both
sides. Mr.. Payne's powers of endurance
ne declared. wer ca marvel and his nine
nour speech on the tariff had made him
a great historical person. i'm company
with Henry Clay. Robert j. Walker. Sen
ator Morrill, of Vermont. William McKin-
ley, William l.. Wilson and Nelson Ding
ley.
Indeed" said Mr. Clark. '.he has knock
ed h1gher than kite the idiotic theory
of DIR. Olser."
The speech of the majority leader he
characterized as superb vindication of
MS physical and mental strength.
Compliments for Committeeman.
Mr.. Clark also had a kind word for
every member of the committee on ways
and means
We worked like galley slaves in try
ing to ascertain the TRUTH" he said.
lie denied that the committee had bully
ragged any witness. as, he said, had been
charged He declared that IL any witness
had received an indecent word in the com.
own acts. 40
Mr.. Clark good naturedly remarked
Ihat the democrats had scared MIR.
fayne at the last session into admit
Ing that there would be tarin revision.
BUT at the bottom of the movement for
Roosevelt.
Il never had any delusions about that
he is gone he said, in mock tones
of sorrow.
addressing the republicans he said.
some of you hope he will never come
Dack. But my regret is that he left
at all. because if he had STAYED her.
you would have been in such a row
within ninety days that you would not
Know whether you were republicans or
Some further observations regarding
Mr. Payne moved the House to a storm
Of laughter.
Lies Payne Has Heard.
Mr.. Clark said he sat in a seat in
the House yesterday and heard Mr..
Payne say he had been in the House
twenty years preparing tariff bills
My God!" he exclaimed. What a eel
of lies he must have heard in that
time
If" he said, Mr.. Payne would make
up an Ananias club from the witnesses
he heard on the tariff no building in the
United States would hold them
Calling attention to The collouuy vester-
day between Mr.. Payne and Mr. Garrett
(Tenn), which grew out of an inquiry
by the latter whether the Payne bill was
not revision upward, Mr.. Clark read some
comparisons between the D.ng.ey anu
Payne bill prepared by a government ex-
pert in the committee.
These. he said. showed that the average
rate of the Dingley bill was I41G per
cent, while under the Payne bill they
were 1872 per cent. showing l.56 per
cent worse than the Dingley bill" lie
declares that no man of bad temper or
bluster could conceal that fact from the
American people.
Many of the reductions in the bill. lac
maintained, were more apparent than
real.
Reduction of Sugar Duty.
Discussing the reduction on refined
sugar. Mr.. Clark said it was held out
as d great boon to the consumer
when the sugar trust received that
tremendous blow between the eyes," he
said, instead of seeing stars it saw Il
stream of gold flowing into its Golfers
every year of the continuance of the
Payne tariff bill"
He declared that man must eat sugar
at top speed for fifteen months in order
to find nickel in his pocket at the end
Of that time as the result of any benefit
that might accrue to him from the bill.
If he missed day he would not get the
nickel.
such tenderness was shown the sugar
trust, which he characterized as a GRIM
inal.
AS to petroleum. Mr. Clark said. the
bill contains ''the same old joker
While ostensibly on the free list. he in
sisted that petroleum was given protec-
tion of from $50 to ESQ per cent. If an
opportunity were given to amend that
schedule, he declared. he would risk his
head that the coun ervailing duty on pc
troleum would go out.
If, Mr.. Clark added. the Standard Oil
Company was not. as he believed, the
sole beneficiary under the bill he would
not object to the crude oil producers
getting a revenue tariff.
Cannon Explains Something.
During Champ Clark's speech in the
House this afternoon there was an in
who was an attentive listener To the
leaders address
Mr.. Clark had commented upon the fact
that some interests i'm his state were de-
manding protection on zinc and lead His
course In this matter might determine his
public career. but he intended to vote for
a revenue duty on zinc and lead, he an
nounced if 1t was for revenue only, and
would vote against a duty il it were pro-
hibitively potective.
He referred to Speaker Cannon's trip
the Joplin< district in the last
Speaker Cannon interrupted to give his
version of that trip. He said that the
Democrats of the Joplin district COM
planned to him that with zinc on the free
list their mines had gone out Of opera
ton and that there were smokeless CHM
neys and idle men. the result of the i'm
portation of Mexican ore. They wanted
q duty on zinc and lead.
The Speaker said he had told them that
the way to convince Congress of their
wants was to send republican repre-
from that district instead of a
democrat. That would be evidence of
Int Ia had