The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-02-24
TO GET
TARIFF BILL ON
!. MARCH Is
CHAIRMAN PAYNE ANNOUNCES
HIS MEASURE is NEARLY CON-
PLETED-TAFT EXPECTS LAW
TO BE ENACTED JUNE I.
BY WiLLIM HoSTER.


WASHINGTON. Feb. 23.-Within a
short time the business interests OF
the nation will know to what extent
they will have to reshape their al
fairs to meet the requirements OF the
new tariff bill
The ways and means committee OF
the house has made such progress
with the new tariff that Serene r.
Payne, chairman OF the committee ex-
pressed the confident belief That the
bill which will hereafter bear his
name will be ready for introduction
on the day that Speaker Cannon CAV
I'll falls calling 10 order the extraor'
binary session of the siXty-irst con
gress.
That will be March Is. How many
days. weeks or months after that Ii
will be before the bill revising the
tariff in accordance with the Republi-
can national platform Is placed in the
hands OF President Taft. is a problem
that is puzzling congressman no less
than business men who are eager To
have the suspense at an end and know
the worst--or best.
Taft Names June I.
writer the other day that he expect
ed TO have the tariff disposed OF by
June !. Recently Senator Lodge. OF
Massachusetts, expressed the opinion
that II would be late In the year be-
fore the bill was finally passed-that
members would barely be able to go
home for change OF clothing and get
back to the capital in time for the
'egular session.
Chairman Payne who ought to know
something about il. being in charge OF
he bill. said that he would not pro.
ohecy the date of the new Payne
ariff. az It will be known In future.
The D!ngley bill after an extra
session in March. was signed by Pres
dent Mckinley July "a. 1897" con-
.inued Payne. $50 that ii required but
our months and twenty days to get
through with the tariff under which
% he nation is now operated"
Rules Won't Change.
There may be some guide for the
Interested business man in that state
nent of the chairman of ways and
means coupled with his later express
zion of opinion that there Will be no
material change in the rules OF the
iext house
DO you think" Mr.. Payne was ask.
~. that the sixty.first congress will
adopt rules OF more liberal char
4cter than those now in force?"
How do you mean?" he queried.
Rules that will make freer and
more extended debate
There are % 900 bills introduced
on an average in the house" was the
reply. and | don't see how IL could
be possible 10 give any more extend.
ed debate in the house and get
through with the business. ! do not
look for any material change in the
rules OF the next session"
We'll. a. ali events. the bill will
conform To the platform declarations
OF the Republican party. won't it?"
The bill, replied the chairman OF
the ways and means. will speak for
itself"
Necessarily all details with regard
to the new bill are being very closely
guarded This is done as much for
the purpose of baking the schemes
Of the stock jobbers as OF reducing to
minimum the business agitation
that would come-and the pulling
and hauling and wire working that
would follow If the details as 10
schedules were permitted To leak out
piecemeal.
Democrats Excluded.
The bill is being drawn up at ex-
acutive sessions of the Republican
members of the committee. which are
held daily from 8 a. M. until 4.45 p.
m. with a brief recess for lunch The
Democratic members of the commit
zee are rigidly excluded from these
meetings.
They will know what the bill con-
tains as soon as any one else" said
Chairman Payne with Il smile. That
mas always been the custom. | recall
that | was on the other side of the
bill as a member OF the ways and
means when the Wilson bill was pass
ed. and. we had to walt patiently for
the majority to build their bill and
introduce 1t In the house before we
knew what II contained
Under this plan every majority
member of the ways and means is un-
der sacred pledge not to discuss the
details OF the bill except with fell
low member OF the majority. and In
this manner the committee keeps
closely guarded all the facts concern
ing measure which ii is not too
much TO say affects the interests OF
every man, woman and child in the
United States, and which merchants.
manufacturers and traders generally
would nav good round sums TO nos.