The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1909-04-07
1INKERINC ON THE TARIFF
Now Certain That Payne Bill Has
Little Chance to Survive.
IT WILL Be RECAST IN SENATE

Where It's Chief Reductions Will Re
Stricken. In Both House and Sem
ate There Are Combinations of
Republicans and Democrats for
and Against Certain Items on the
Protected List. Southerners Clam
or for High Tariff on Lumber.
WASHINGTON.-The debate on
the Payne tariff bill, which is now
being conducted in the house, makes
it apparent that many amendments.
even in that body, will be made to
the measure, while the known views
OF the senate leaders render certain
d practical recasting of the bill in
the upper house of congress. The
Payne bill provides for many sween-
ing reductions and for some in
CTeaSeS, particularly on luxuries
But the present indications are that
the important reductions, such as
those on lumber, hides, pulp, steel
and pig iron, are to be swept away
by the senate, provided they succeed
in passing through the house; while
permitted to remain. In both house
and senate the high tariff combina-
ton embraces democrats as well as
republicans. The former, as we'll as
many of the latter, favor tariff re-
duction, provided it does not affect
the industries in their respective
states, or districts; but when it does
they cling to the protection principle
7Frifh oil hO
"standpatters.
For instance, the strongest oppo-
nentS to the so per cent. reduction
in lumber provided in the Payne
bill are the representatives and SEN
ators from the south. The protest
ants against the free importation of
rice from the Philippines are the rice
growers of Louisiana, notwithstand-
ing the fact that our insular posses
sions in the east do not raise enough
rice for their own wants, and there
fore cannot export any. But the
American rice growers are afraid of
the principle and through their rep
resentativeS are preparing to fight
the free trade clause. And so it goes
all down the list. Everybody seems
to be in favor of a downward re-
vision of the stariff, provided it is in
the other fellows state.
The Senate Programme.
The finance committee of the sen
ate which is now considering the
tariff, will not give public hearings
on the question. 1t never does, but
calls before it what it is pleased to
designate as experts" There are
invariably high protectionists, each
qualified to speak of one or more af-
fected industries. This alone throws
strong light upon the nature of
the tariff bill which the senate will
favor, and the fact that most of the
senator's are more responsive to
large financial and industrial in
t1uences than to public opinion is an
additional indication that the Payne
bill will be so amended in that body
that its author will hardly be able
to recognize it.
The high protection leader in the
upper house is Senator Aldrich of
Rhode Island, and he is ably sus-
tanned by Senator Hale and by 9TH
ers of the old school At a confer
enCe at the white house between AL
drich, the president and Secretary of
the Treasury MacVeagn the senate
leader boldly asserted that the in
heritanCe tax, which was strongly
recommended by President Taft in
his message, will have to be stricken
out. There is strong opposition in
both branches of congress to the
measure, chiefly because many of the
states have such a law now, and an
additional tax by the federal gov
eminent would, it is asserted, be an
Injustice. Similarly President Taft
was told that the tax on hides would
nave to be restored, that the tariff
on lead ores, coal and lumber should
not be reduced; that no reduction
On wood pulp must be made, and that
the maximum and minimum scheme
in the Payne bill would have to be
changed. Singularly too, it was in
dicated that the proposed tax on tea
might have to go. To compensate
Tor the loss of revenue involved in
these proposed changes the internal
revenue is to be swelled by stamp
tax.
One Feature to BE Cut Out.
Among those who will use his
powerful influence against the tariff
coal, iron ore, wood pulp and steel
IS Senator Elkins of West Virginia.
The senator's and representatives
from the far west want the Dingley
rates continued on lumber, coal, lead,
hldes and wool. The cottOn-groW-
ing states of the south are up in
arms against the placing Of cotton
seed oil on the free list, while some
OF the fruit growers of California,
through their representatives, are
ciamoring for higher duties on lem
oDs and currants.
All of these protests are strength
en1ng the hands of Aldrich and the
other 'standpatters" in the senate.
One feature of the Payne bill that
IS to be reversed is the maximum and
minimum rate. The maximum and
minimum policy was first advanced