The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1909-04-17
A Letter from Washington.
Washington, D. G. April, 10th 100

House on yesterday and now goes TO
the Senate for consideration.
The bill passed by almost a strics
party vote. The Florida membert
claiming to be Democrats, but in fact
protectionists, voted with the Repub-
licans for the bill. One Republican
from Tennessee voted with the Demo-
Gratis against the bill
This has been al interesting fight
but the bill as passed must necessarily
be sad disappointment to the great
mass of consumers of this country.
The Republican National Platform
declared for a revision of the tariff
and while they did not say whether
up or down every one knows that the
thousands of honest Republicans
throughout the country, who are
consumers, honestly believed when
they voted the Republican ticket last
fall, it m amt downward revision OF
the tariff: relief of tariff burdens to
the millions of consumers of this
country, but since the house has acted
they awake to the realization of the
fact that the revision is upward in
stead of downward. The average
duty under the Payne bill is nearly 2
per cent higher than it was under the
Dingley Bill, the present law. 10
other words the people asked tor
bread, but they have been given a
stone.
What has happened heretofore IN
the writing Of Republican tariff bills
has happened in the writing of this
bill. The monopilies interested in a
protective tariff have virtually writ
ten the schedules in this bill. The
interest Of consumers was not consid-
cred. AS an evidence of what I say
let me give an illustration The duty
on hosiery and women's gloves is ex.
brilliantly high under the existing
law, but the Payne bill increased the
duty on these items outrageously.
When the newspapers of the ooun-
try announced that fact, the good
women got busy and on yesterday at
tempted TO present to the House,
through Congressman Foss of Chica-
go, petition said to contain about
100000 names asking that the duty on
those every day necessities be re.
duced and Notwithstanding Mr.. Eoss
asked for less than FIVE minutes of
the time in which to present these pc
titlons, be was denied this privilege
upon objection of couple of Pennsyl-
vania Republicans; and yet the tariff
hearings show that the manufacturers
Of these articles were given about a
weeks time to present their claims
for higher tariff, before the Ways
and Means committee, and a report
Of those proceedings covers about one
hundred printed pages;printed at the
expense of the Government. In other
words the manufacturers of hosiery
and gloves were allowed about a
weeks time to present their side of
the case and the consumers of these
articles were denied the right to pre-
sent their side at all, even though
they asked for less than FIVE minutes
of time to do it in.
May we not appropriately enquire,
how long! o Lord how long will the
people endure this kind of treatment
at the hands of the Republican party?
so fearful we're the Republican
leaders that if the individual mem
bers of the House should have right
to offer amendments to the bill and
have those amendments voted on,
that the schedules would be cut down,
that on last Monday they brought in
a specialru providing just what par
agraphs in the bill amendments could
be offered to and no others. This
rule was adopted by practically a
party vote: so that the hands Of the
individual were completely tied A.
bout the only thing Of Importance ac-
oomplished in the way Of amerd-
ments in the House, was in putting
OH, coffee and tea on the free list
When tbs oil schedule was up for
consideration very unusual thing
occurred. The Speaker, Mr.. Cannon,
went upon the floor and made a sen.
sational speech In favor Of the re,
tention Of the duty on Oils, of course
putting it on the ground that be fa-
vored it in the interest Of the Inde-
pendent OH Producers ofthe country,
but members seemingly we're unkind
enough to believe that he was speak
ing for the STANDARD on company and
the amendment was adopted over
whelmlngly putting oil on the free
list
There is no doubt if they had per-
mitted vote on putting agricultural
implement on the free list and re-
ducing the tariff on hosiery, woolen