The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-03-23
The Payne Tariff Bill
AS Finally Amended.

1t Is asserted that the Payne tarin
bill as reported from the committee IS
by no means the measure which VIII
finally be adopted by the congress.
Indeed, there are TumOrs of plots and
Counter-plots, of certain interests to
be satisfied, of big Ikes" IN the. po-
Htfcal and financial worlds TO be ap-
peased-their appetites we mean And
sn doing these things the compare
lively innocent document so broadly
advertised throughout the land will be
amended in a way to make it the most
hurdensome measure ever inflicted
upon the people
Through a skiIlful manipulation of
the Tammany and McCarren repre-
sentatives from New YOrk-a threat
10 tax the welI-beIoyed and frOthy
beer some fifty or a hundred per cent
beyond the present figure-JOe Can
non and his allies succeeded in caus-
8ng the democratic bolt which created
CONSERVATION and called forth curses
both deep and as loud as a tirst-class
Kansas cyclone. There be some, at
beast. who call it a democratic bolt
although it has ever been beyond us
10 understand how Il political organ
izstion like Tammany Hall, based on
. secret society whose sachems are
the leaders in that political organiza-
ton. can be called democratic.
But, aside from any argument along
that line, the fact remains that Uncle
Joe nabbed these renegades and the
democratic insurgent combine against
his gag rule lost out. So everything
seems lovely and the goose hangs
high" for the C. o. P. stalwarts to
carry out their program, whatever it
may be-presumabIy to make the tie
that binds to them every protected
corporation and useful capitalist in
the country closer and stronger than
ever.
And one of the things they expect
to do. so we are told, is to put tariff
TAX Of FIVE cents a pound on coffee. /
This TAX viii amount 10 many millions
OF dollars. and every coffee drinker in /
the United states will help pay il. To /
the people Of Pensacola It Will prove I
especially obnoxious, for they are d I
coffee loving people and much OF the I
Community's money is spent for the I
delightful and inspiring beverage. The /
reason to be assigned for placing this /
tax will be the one with most /
ancient and a fish like smelI": the |
absolute necessity Of raising revenue |
for the legitimate expenses Of the
government.
But what is this story so freely cir
cuIated and, so far, uncontradicted?
From IL we learn that the true rea-
son for this tax Is not 10 raise reve-
nue. for Uncle Sam, but for a band Of
New York brigands, with no less
person than ]. p. Morgan in COM
mand 1t is said that these-h'mt-I
gentlemen have already imported and
stored away millions of pounds of
coffee under the lower tariff and are |
now manipulating the proposed raise
that they may sell out at an enor-
NOUS profit. Where the government
will beneht by the transaction does
not, however, appear.
The Journal is unable 10 vOuCh for |
the truth Of these charges. Judging,
however, from the past record Of the /
persons involved there is about them 4
8 verisimilitude as striking as it is
appalling. And Cannon or 10 Cannon. /
rules or no rules, bolt or no bolt, the
real democrats OF the congress should
insist on sitting the matter TO the /
bottom and expose any rascaIity
which may be attempted. There are
representatives and senators who, We
believe, Will 90 this, and the press OF
the country viii stand solidly behind
them should the necessity arise.