Goldsboro semi-weekly argus., 1909-05-26
THE PAYNE TARIFF BILL.
Viewed by Dry Goods Merchant OF
Vast Experience.

Dear Sir: It is quite sufficient te
say that there is probably not a dry
goods merchant in the United States
be he protectionist or free trader
Republican or Democrat, who would
have believed that the proposed tariff
bill now under consideration, would
take the form of radically increased
duties on such staples as hosiery
gloves, etc., without a single appar-
ent reduction on any one Of the great
staples so largely distributed through
dry goods and department stores. Spe-
cial Washington dispatches in the
daily papers have kept you informed
on the progress of this Payne tariff
bill, and at this writing the bill has
passed the house with no modifica-
tions of the arbitrary advances which
have been made -on the lines first
mentioned in spite of protest and ar
gument. We have, met men of the
strongest protectionist belief who
frankly express that they never ex-
pected the result which seems to be
n sight Eliminating entirely any po-
litica1 consideration, we are astounded
by the developments. We are not dis
cussing the iron or oil schedules, but
only those lines of direct interest to
this trade.
1t is a fearful task to try to un-
ravel the complexities of the Payne
tariff bill. Political and local consid-
erations entirely seem to govern our
lawmakers in framing up tariff bill,
which should be purely broad busi-
ness proposition. The pledge of a
tariff revision downward has been
broken, and in the most open and
barefaced fashion.
The revised tariff at the present
stage increases the burdens of the
consumer, and, to the same extent,
those of the dealer. The most in
volved method of computation in as
certaining taxable values under the
various schedules has been adopted.
In the lower grades of hosiery and
gloves, the duties proposed are large
ly prohibitive, instead of providing for
increased revenue, the new duties are
put SO high as to practically prohibit
the Importation of certain lines of
these goods, and strange to relate, the
lower priced lines Of merchandise,
used almost entirely by people of
small or moderate means, are made
to carry the largest percentage of in
creased tax.
We deem it the duty of every dry
goods merchant to put himself square
ly on record on this question. If he
believes that the duty should be re-
vised in proper and equitable man
ner, with a just measure of protection
to the labofipg interests in our own
country, and to stop there, he should
say so in his ads, to the local news
paper editor, to his Representatives in
Congress, etc. The Senate seems to
saner view of the proposition, judg-
ing by the modified schedules pre-
sented in the Senate, but the interests
that clamor for higher duties will not
give up without a fight, and interest
ing developments may be looked for.
The character of the arguments put
forth on the part of Interested politi-
cians-each man clamoring for the
greatest measure Of high tariff for his
particular pet industry-is very ex-
cellent example of how a tariff bill
should not be framed. The merchant
trader and consumer seem to be the
| last persons whose interests are con-
sidered in the discussion; they have
no lobby in Washington, they have nc
| campaign funds to contribute, but
they must stand by helplessly and see
this monstrous wrong inflicted on this
country under the guise of revised
tariff 1t has been generally true thai
| on all previous tariff bills the actor
of the Senate has been to advance al
the schedules previously decided upol
in the House. There seems to be NJ
avenue of escape from the monstrous
ly heavy duties proposed on many O
the most important lines that go int
the dry goods stores, except through
veto Of this bill by the President.
/ We are not going into details on tn
proposed schedules of duty in thi
letter; space would not permit, an
the trade and daily press is keepin
you fully informed on this subjec
1--WE wish to state that in our humbl
judgment, the American people ar
being betrayed and led to slaughte
We do not believe that either the dc
nestle hosiery, gloves, woolen or col
t ton industry expected or needs th
s tremendous prohibitive duties, whic
e are proposed under the Payne bill
t The complications of maximum an
d minimum duties by which merchal
e disc ostensibly assessed at low
+ rate. actually pays higher one r
i qnire the most careful study for pro
(. er analysis,
ri You will hear plenty of this tar
d discussion during the next fe
IF months. We doubt very much whet
,e er the bill will be signed before mi
A summer, If not vetoed. The Sena
le usually takes it's time, even on mf
lie ter of such vital Importance to t
10 Lco11nfrv Mr. Taft'S action on this hi