The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-03-24
Minority Leader Declares
Tariff Bill Is Not a
Real Revision.
PAYS HIS RESPECTS
TO MICHIGAN MAN
Missourian Says Fordney Is Most
Consistent of All Pro-
tectionistS.

Declaring that Chairman Payne. Of
the Ways and Means Committee, had
brought into the House a tariff bill
which failed to meet the requirements
'of the situation which confronts this
country, Champ Clark of Missouri. lead
er of the minority in the House. today
began his attack on that measure.
Mr.. Clark said that the Republican
platform declared for tariff revseion.
and that the entire country took IL for
granted that the platform meant tarin
revision downward
President Taft. said Mr.. Clark. made
it plain to the people in his campaign
that he desired tariff revision down
ward In spite of this, the statistics
prepared by the committee itself showed
that the average duty under the Payne
Dill would be 40 72-100 per cent
Champ CIark's Speech.
Mr. Clark said in substance:
This is no time for an academic dis
cussion of the tariff. Every tariff theory
ever hatched in the brain Of man has
been discussed repeatedly in this coun-
try with thoroughness and splendid abiI-
lty- Since John C. Carlisle made his
hrst masterful tariff speech In the
House. some thirty years ago, we have
mad an almost continuous tariff debate
IN TINS country. 1t may well be doubted
Whether any member on the Committee
OF ways and Means could make a bet
ter academic speech on the subject now
than he has made in the past.
So firmly am 1 convinced Of this
mat told Mr.. Chairman Payne last
Friday that, 50 far as / am concerned |
WOIIId
debate. IL we could be assured that we /
would have ample time for. amer6,ne,,t !
and debate, under the five-minuce r,,Ie. /
OF the entire bjl section bv section |
1 ne minority mss40ers have no desire /
10 waste one moment, put we do desire 1
thorough consideration and a chance 1
10 amend it wherever we thiax II would |
De improved by amendment and nv
judgment is ii could be greatly i'm
proved by amendment IN many RESPECTS
Tax on Consumers.
The tariff is tax The tarir f.
tax paid by the consumers. Nobodv
with any reputation for veracitv or
intelligence to lose viii denv ej+be-
OF these two propositions. II he docs
1ery them he Will be confounded br
nigh protective advocates whose owl
1ence makes up almost exclusively the
report Of the Ways and Means Com
m1ttee- Most OF the witnesses wanted
an increase Of the DingIev rates or
wanted those rates held in statu ouo
Only two or three manufacturers ssL,ed
Tor reduction Of rates on articles
which they manufactured. One sd-
nitted that the tariff on tfn-nIsta
should be reduced fron ~ cents a
'ound to cent, and Claus Spreck-
is. one Of the largest independent re-
lners, lIIt, SAID that the tariff on all !
sugars should be removed Mr. Miles
secretary Of the National Manufsc,
urers lLers Association, anvocated reduc-
IONS but within a fortnight he re-
qrned .I11'. and took back all ne had said b
toout taking the tarin - leather ana
he products of leather. bur he stucLr
o free hides for dear life
Inc reasons why the ultimate con-
uIner' as he Is feIicitously denomi- :
iateo Dy the gentleman from Illinois
1r. BouteI, did not appear are E1irst
hat In the beginning the public looked
'pon the hearings as a stupendous {
onndence game; second. while that
eellnS wore OF TO some extent afte-
,halrman Payne invited an who had
plnlons 10 express to come forward
carcely one representative of the
reat Dody Of ultimate consumers an
cared. because such one felt that tba ,
ossibility Of having kss tariff b5rda,9
ubstantially reduced was so remote
nat he did not thi1;1 it worth trav- {
l!llg expenses, hotel bills, neglect Of /
usiness and loss OF time. Thar an !
lies to the well-to-do ultimate con :
umer
Is Represented.
1T goes without saying that millions {
ultimate consumers had not the I
7herewithal to foot the bills for a I
ZIP 20 Washington. 50 that the ulti- {
late consumer really speaks in these
earrings only through questions pro- I
ounded by members Of the committee G
Continued on Fourth Page1