West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-04-01
OUR washington LETTER
Payne Tariff Bill Does MOI Suit the
Majority.
FATHER TIME THE ONLY ONE BUSY
Democrats Making Poor Showing
Action OF Territorial Officials
Scandalous.
From our Regular Correspondent.

From Our Regular Correspondent.
WAsuiNoroN, March 30.-Represcnta-
tive Clark, the minority leader, has made
his long looked for speech on the Payne
tariff bill. and some parts OF his arraign-
mcnt made the Republicans squirm. lie
pointed out that except for few COM
modtics which have been put on the ircc
list the rates were " per cent higher In
the Payne bill than in the Dinglcy bill.
! lie urged that the tax on tea bo re-
moved, asserting that IL was tax on "tho
poor mans breakfast table" and one
which many could i'll afford 10 pay, while
there had been no increase whatever Of
the tax on beer, which could easily stand
an additional 50conts n barrel which was
luxury which no man needed and many
were better of without.
He showed the subtcriugc by which the
Standard Oil Company is protected, pc
trolcum being placed on the free list, but
II diilcrcntial provided for in the case of
any other country placing an export tax
ON oil, which results i'm saving the Stand
ard company from all competition. His
speech was vigorously applaudcd by the
Democrats, but the Republicans looked
very unhappy as he proceeded.
TNN
Mr.. Clark said hc was confident that II
the house were afforded an opportunity
TO vote on the question IL would take tho
tax off tea and increase the tax on beer.
AN opinion which apparently is shared by
the Republican leaders, for they are plot
ting 90 secure the adoption of n rule
which will make il impossible for the
members to secure a vote on any amend
ment whatever unless il Is first reported
by the ways and means committee, which
Speaker Cannon named, and which, Of
course, lac dominates.
The leaders now count on shutting off
general debate with rule Wednesday,
after which, il their plans carry, there
will be debate under the fvc-minute limi-
tation TO each speaker for ten days, then
three days will be set apart for voting on
amendments, and il is expected that the
house will vote on the entire bill about
April 10.
The president has given notice to the
senate leaders that if they 30 change the
bill as To make il high protection meas
urc or TO reduce its revenue producing
power he will veto il, and moreover, that
hc will probably recommend the adoption
of u tax Of per cent OH the dividends Of
all corporations except banks and few
others. II is estimated that such tax
would yield at least $l5, 600, 600 OF reve-
nue. and possibly considerably more. Prcsi-
dent TAFT is disappointed at the showing
that this tax would yield 20 little. OF
course IL would not apply to bonds, and
large part Of the capitalization Of the
corporations, especially Of the railroads,
consists Of bonds
Unfortunately the Democrats in con
gress are not making al good a showing
as they might OH the tariff bill, because
80 many Of them are urging protection for
certain interests within their own dis
tricts This makes il impossible for them
10 attack the protection principle Of the
Payne bill with the strength they could
otherwise possess.
FnH
1t is a surprise TO many people that
President Taft should have urged Gov.
| Curry, OF Mexico, % retain his position
Of governor until his term expires. Curry
resigned, and with good reason, for there
are serious charges against his admins
tratiOn in the senate committee on terri
tories, and, moreover, lac was seriously
offended at the order Of the secretary Of
the interior that all territorial officials
should remain in their territories instead
Of coming 10 Washington to lobby for
statehood and other legislation
Generally, the order will be commended,
! as II has been little short Of a scandal the
manner in which the territorial officials
have induced their legislatures TO appro-
pirate funds for travelling expenses and
then have expended them, coming 10 the
national capital and staying at high
priced hotels while they sought 10 in-
nuencc legislation.
Tie secretary of the interior has asked
for and accepted the resignation Of the
assistant attorney general for that depart
mcnt, although Of course the resignation
had actually 30 be called for blythe attorney
general This means that the all power.
fol influence Of Clifford Pinchot, tho ma.
tional forester, in the interior department
is at an end, for Assistant Attorney Cen
eral Woodruff was an cmploye Of the bu-
reau oi forestry before going ~ the i'm
terror department, and his chief conccp-
ton of law was that Mr. Pinchors word
was law. There will be q general dimi-
mutton Of the influence Of Forester Pinchot
In this administration, which will be very
different from the last, when anything
that Mr. Pinchot said went with the
president, the secretary Of agriculture,
and the secretary Of the interior.
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