The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-03-27
FIGHT ON PAYNE BILL.
ELKINS DECLARES THAT TT WILL.
NEVER PASS THE SENATE.
West Virginian Senator Says that the
Bill, I'm its Present Form, will
Never Become a Law-Some of the
Objections to the Bill.

Washington, March Ex-senator
Elkins, of West Virginia, today sound
ed what is believed to be the death
knell of the Payne tariff bill in its
present shape, when he declared in
the most emphatic terms that such a
Dill as that presented to the House
for adoption by the ways and means
committee would never become a
law, and that if necessary the SEN
ate would remain in session until
Christmas, if required to do so, to get
a bill raore acceptable to all sections
OF the country. This is the opinion
also expressed by many other Sen
ators. They maintain that a close
| analysis will show that such q bill as
that now proposed would be most
harmful to the interest Of the South
and that, as millions of dollars OF
money belonging to Eastern capital
lists are invested there, such a bill
will never become a law.
Among the objections set out are
that it increases the taxation on the
necessities of life, and that those ar
ticles actually required by the poor
man will come higher to him.
That the maxium and minimum
features of the bill are loosely drawn,
and, if placed in operation, would be
both burdensome to the American
public and dangerous to American
trade relations.
That the drawback provisions of
the bill will work out injuriously to
the wheat raisers of the great West.
and otherwise be hurtful to American
industries.
That the inheritance tax provisions
interfere with the State laws bearing
on the same subject.
That the bill is lacking in any re
ciprocal features, which would enable
the United States to make favorable
trade arrangements
That the system of valuation based
on the American wholesale market
price is of doubtful wisdom, and will
work to increase duties.
That too much has been done to-
wards reducing raw materials with
corresponding reductions in the du-
ties on manufactured articles, as in
the case of free hides and leather and
shoes.
That The counte ,vailing duty of Pc
troleum is still retained in the new
measure. as it exists in the Dingley
bill
That tea is taxed and beer allowed
TO escape without additional taxation.
The storm of opposition to the bill
has already broken in the House, and,
though the Senate will have no op-
portunity to consider the measure for
possibly a month, there are already
signs indicating that when that body
finishes with it, its best friends will
not be able to recognize it.
Aldrich Opposes Bill.
Senator Aldrich objects to the bill
because he does not like the maxi.
mum and minimum features. the in
heritance tax, and other equally un-
satisfactory parts Of it. He especial
ly opposes the inheritance tax clause
because. in his opinion, it would con-
fiict with any Of the State laws bear
ing on the same point He is also
strongly opposed to a tax on tea and
coffee.
Senator Aldrich's opposition came
as surprise to his colleagues in the
Senate and to President Taft. ~ is
practically certain that the Senate fl
nance committee will figure very
largely in shaping up the measure
when the Senate gets hold iof it, and
as Senator Aldrich is the chairman
of this committee what he says with
respect to his opposition is taken
to mean that there must be a con-
siderable amount Of rebuilding be-
fore the Senate will agree to pass
it,
The outlook is for a hard fight in
the House, especially from Southern
Representatives, and an equally hard
fight in the Senate from those MEM
bers who think the bill, as it now
stands, would not be acceptable to
the people of the country general
ly