Gunnison news-champion., 1909-10-01
ANlIlrM se0eS IN

Senator Lar Gillette OF W lsc0aasn, by
all odds the ablest Statesman of the
Repubiican party. thus riddles the
defense which President Tsft tried
TO make Of the new tariff bill:
President TAFT has spoken again on
the new tariff law His first opinion
was uttered when he signed the bill.
Then be said
Il have signed the Pzvne tarlii
bill because | believe ii TO he the re-
suit Of SINCERE EFFORT on the
part OF the Republican party 10 make
downward revision and to comply
with the promises of the platform as
they have been generally underwood
and q | interpreted them in the
campaign before election
The President second declaration
was made in his speech at Winoaa.
1t is stronger than his first He de-
clares the law is more than an ''ef-
fort; it is fulfiliment of tho prom
ise of downward revision lie makes
this declaration in the Middle West
where sentiment for downward re-
vision is overwhelming He snakes
it in section whence come those
senators and representatives, who
recognizing clearly the wishes OF
their constituents and knowing how
little these wishes were shared bv
the leaders in both houses of Con-
gress. found it impossible to vote
for the bill prepared under the dsIa-
ination of Aldrich and Cannon.
In the course of his speech the
President presented an analysis of
the tariff changes effected by tine
new law. This is the same ANALYSIS
that WAS printed in the Congress,on-
al record by Chairman Payne, when
he laid his conference report on the
bill before the house This analysis
parports to measure the importance
Of tariff changes by the ''consump-
ton value Of the commodities af-
fected. This WAS done to make an
answer to the complications of the
Bureau of Statistics OF the Depart |
meat OF Commerce and Labor. show
ing the tariff increase measured by |
ID" value OF imports.
The value of imports has always
been regarded as the best obtainable
measure of the Importance ei tariff |
changes. IL always has bee,, ~ gard
ed - iairly satisfactory basis for
such comparisons until it became
necessary to show that the Payne
Law embodied tariff revision down
ward. t. accomplish that paradox
OF mathematics, IA new measure had |
TO he invented.
To attempt to determine the value
OF the consumption in this country
of the thousands of articles embraced |
in the tariff schedules as there class
flied is to enter into the realm of
pure speculation The information
does not exist. No statistician, who
is more than mere iuggler of fg
ures, would regard such calcula-
tion as worthy the slightest coasid
Grafton.
Nobody, then or since, has come
forward to claim credit for this anal
ysis which Mr. Payne caused to be
printed in the Record. 1t was pre-
sented anonymously. The data up-
on which it was based have never
been disclosed. Before anv such
so-cailed analysis" we place the
woxk Of the great statistical bureau
of the government. based upon off
cial records.
Heretofore in these columns we
have presented the analysis of the
Bureau of Statistics. We have
shown the character of the tariff re-
vision ~ . whole and by example in
detail. We shall continue to do 40.
Whether The tariff has been reduced
10 matter of fact. not a matter of
fiat The tariff revision will analyze
itself IN your living expenses. This
10 TIE ultimate test, more convinc-
iaG thaa aay statistics. BY that test
IL lsw sd its spoossr. niue, abide.
The President 10 reported as bav-
iaG sid: 1T w.e . question for
sacA 0aa 70 settle for himself In
DaeAsss Of this kind it 10 . question
With tAs party representative wheth-