The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-03-23
DEMOCRATS DENOUNCE NEW
MEASURE IN MINORITY RE.
PORT TO THE HOUSE.
DECLARE It IS A SHAM
Opposition Contends That Revision al
Planned by the Republicans Will
mean Increased Cost Of Living and
an Open Challenge to a Trade War
With Every Other Nation.

Washington, March 22-That the
Payne tariff bin viii increase the cost
of living; that it is crude. indefinite
sectional and prohibitive: and that it
Is an open challenge to trade war
with every other nation are some OF
the criticisms Of that measure made
by the democratic members of the
ways and means committee in the mi
nority report submitted to the house
by Minority Leader Champ Clark to-
| day.
The report is a severe arraignment
| OF the riVlsion which the Payne bill
proposes. The countervailing duty
provisions for coffee and petroleum,
the maximum and minimum features,
the Cuban reciprocity clause the
woolen, glass, agricultural and sugar
schedules are bitterly attacked.
Declaring that a tariff is a tax paid
by the consumer and that the only le-
gitlmate function of a tariff is to
| raise revenue to supply the needs of
the government, the minority MEM
bers insist that instead of an increase
or taxes of new issue OF bonds. the
correct remedy for the growing def
cheney in the revenues is a reduction
of the expenses of the government.
Continuing the report declares:
The whole maximum and minimum
tariff scheme as set forth in the
Payne tariff enables foreign countries
to force us to raise the rates or the
Payne schedules 20 per cent. which
would, after making ample allowance
| for all reductions in the Payne bin.
| increase our tariff rates on the aver
age much above the rates Of the
Dlngley law, prospect which will
prlng sorrow and dismay to the great
| body of the people. We are most
heartily IN favor OF such a maximum
and minimum tariff which win en-
| able our government to negotiate
tariff arrangements by making con-
cesslons to other governments, by re-
duclng the rates of our statute when
such other countries will make equal
valuable concessions to us; but as 1t
stands, the maximum and minimum
| tariff plan of the Payne bill is an
open challenge to trade war with
| every other nation on earth. It is
seeking trade with club or meat
axe.
Highly Incredible.
Does any sane man suppose for one
| moment that the great commercial
| nations, our competitors for the
worlds trade, will concede that Cuba
is one of our 'dependencies.' It is a
thing incredible.
The bin is in many respects crude.
Indefinite, sectional and prohibitive.
1t seems to us from our examination.
which was necessarily hasty. that on
the whole 1t increases the cost of liv-
ing"
The report maintains that the tariff
arrangements with the Philippines
should be considered in a separate
measure and not in the general tariff
bill. The claim that the bill is sec
tional one is based largely on the cot
ton schedule.
"The treatment of the farmer by
this bill is along the same lines as
nave characterized republican meth
DDS in the past" says the report.
He gets practically no relief and
the laborer and producer have greater
burdens imposed upon them
The Standard Oil company is as
handsomely cared for in the Payne
bill as in the Dingley bill," the report
continues ''and by reason of the pro-
vision in paragraph 637, popularity
known as the Joker continues to be
protected by tariff duty of 80 per
cent, which enables il to dominate
and exploit the American market and
to levy tribute upon the public"
Similar Joker.
The report further contends that a
similar joker in the paragraph pro-
Viding for the free entry of coffee
places duty on coffee equal to the
export duty imposed by the country
from which it Is imported, and that
the consumer must pay both the ex-
port duty of the country and the ex-
port duty of the United States. The
tax on tea is also attacked, the claim
being made that the $7,000.O00 which
it is proposed to raise by imposing a
duty on tea represents the amount by
which the cost of living will be in
creased by this tax.
Criticism is made of the metal
schedule, and 1t is contended that
hides having been placed on the free
h'e' tiS uuty oii lcdtutT, SIOcS, HdT-
ness and other leather manufactures
should also be removed. Increases in
the chemical schedule are termed un-
justifiable.
severe arraignment of the wool
schedule is made. 1.-The only note
worthy change in the rates on manu-
facturers of WOOL" the report states.
'is that in the Payne bill lower rate
is put on tops that upon yarns, as it
should be-
The compound duties, specific and
ad valorem, of the Dingley and Payne
bills on woolens is severely criticised.
Referring to the reduction 5-l00 OF
1 cent in the duty on refined sugar.
provided by the Payne bill, the report
declares:
Theoretically the trust receives
hat ha In