Goldsboro semi-weekly argus., 1909-08-14
TARIFF TALK.

congress, OF at least a majority or
IS members, may be satisfied with the
lew tariff measure, and President
Taft is reported to be pleased, but the
fact remains that few men understand
it, and non a tell whether its final
operation will satisfy the people.
OF its puzzling nature and hidden
possibilities the Washington Post
says:
THE first session of the Sixty-first
Congress has ended, and what it has
done has passed into history. It's sit
tings during its nearly five months of
continuance were mainly given up to
a discussion of the tariff bill, and
much light was she'd upon the per-
picking question of framing an eff
eient revenue bill, one that will at the
same time produce a sufficient reve-
nue. and do no substantial wrong to
any section or interest. Whether the
Payne bill meets this standard or not
remains to be tested. During the con-
s%ideration of the bill, especially in the
Senate, a disposition was exhibited
upon the part OF some of the Republi-
1 SCsAo W tAO OAA as 1loC LA
accordance with Republican promises
or with the demands of the people.
"It is possible that some of the
speeches made will be recalled dur
ing the next congressional campaign
to plague the speakers and the party,
but the President having given the
measure his hearty Endorsement, the
probabilities are his party will accept
it as a very satisfactory measure.
Tho new features of the law,
which are a substantial departure
from all other measures of this kind,
can be proved only by actual trial.
Among these new features are the
powers granted the President under
the maximum and minimum clause,
the authority given the President to
| use agents to assist him in the appli-
: cation of this clause, the establish
: ment of a customs court, and the cor
r ~poration tax. The maximum and min
, imum feature is simply a club to
l hold over the heads of foreign gov
ernments, and the club business is
e not always ef%fectual. The customs
SOO1N A1oy OooAS AL @ 4ho 0AAAASA
j construction of the law land thus
save the government from having te
refund large sums of duties wrongful
ly assessed.
"a tariff bill is almost as difficult
to construe as to frame, and it is ad
mitted hat the Payne law contain:
some features that are rather puz
IF 1 rIi-- IT, 81, also o1roiffo1 fhof fh.
corporation tax clause will give som
work for the courts, as it's constitu
tiona1ity will surely be tested by thu
corporations. On it's constitutionalit.
e grave differences exist among law
s yers, both in and out of Congress, ant
o it's equity has also been disputed. /
is a new effort in h field of taxa
s ton, and the outcome will be watched
with interest by the people. 1t ma.
. prove to be a revenue producer, In,
e it is evident that the revenue will
need to be increased to meet the re
quirements of the government
President Taft appears to think tn
/ statistics and information %concernin,
the corporations of the country tina
n will be secured will be of very grea
value to the country, and will be
a step in the direction of government
y regulation that he claims to be neces
sary. The new law and its operation
will be watched very closely for tn
next year or two, especially by TIL
leaders of 10Th parties, and as thu
s business prosperity of the countr,
n will depend largely upon it's workings
S it is safe to say that the leaders o
r both parties hope it will prove salts
n factory"