The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-02-23
CONGRESS TO GET
TARIFF BILL ON
MARCH Is
CHAIRMAN PAYNE ANNOUNCES
HIS MEASURE is NEARLY CON-
PLETED-TAFT EXPECTS LAW
TO BE ENACTED JUNE I.
BY WILLIM HoSTER.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23.-Within a
short time the business interests OF
the nation will know 10 what extent
they will have To reshape their af-
fairs to meet the requirements OF the
new tariff bill.
The ways and means committee or
the house has made such progress
with the new tariff that Serene l..
Payne. chairman OF the committee ex'
pressed the confident belief that the
bill which will hereafter bear his
name will be ready for Introduction
OH the day that Speaker Cannon's CAV
ell falls calling To order the extraor-
binary session OF the sixty-first con
gress.
That will be March 10. How many
days. weeks or months after that II
will be before the bill revising the
tariff In accordance with the Republi-
can national platform is placed In tie
hands OF President Taft, Is a problem
that Is puzzling congressman no less
than business men who are eager to
have the suspense al an end and know
the worst--or best.
Taft Names June I.
The president-elects informed the
writer the other day that he expect
ed 10 have the tariff disposed OF by
June /. Recently Senator Lodge, of
Massachusetts. expressed the opinion
that ii would be late In the wear be-
fore the bill was finally passed--tha,
members would barely be able TO go
home for change OF clothing and get
back to the capital I'm time for the
regular session
Chairman Payne. who ought To know
something about it, being in charge OF
the bill. said that he would not pro
phecy the date OF the new Payne
tariff az IL viii be known in future.
The Dingley bill. after an extra
session In March. was signed by Pres
iden; Mckinley, July -. 1897" con
tiRued Payne. so that II required but
four months and twenty days TO get
through with the tariff under which
the nation is now operated
Rules Won't Change
There may be some guide for the
| Interested business man in that state
ment OF the chairman OF ways and
means coupled with his later express
sion Of opinion that there will be no
material change In the rules OF the
next house.
DO you think" Mr.. Payne was ask
ed. that The sixty congress will
adopt rules OF more liberal char
acter than those now In force?"
How do you mean?" he queried.
Rules that will make freer and
more extended debate
There are $4,000 bills introduced
on an average in the house" was the
reply. and | don't see how il could
be possible to give any more extend
"A l.Ah. tn,
through with the business. do not
look for any material change In the
rules OF the next session
We'll. at all events, the bill will
conform to the platform declarations
OF the Republican party. won't il"
The bill. replied the chairman Of
the ways and means, will speak for
itself" 49,
Necessarily all details with regard
10 the new bill are being very closely
guarded. This is done as much for
the purpose OF baking the schemes
of the stock jobbers as of reducing TO
minimum the business agitation
that would come-and the pulling
and hauling and wire working that
would follow II the details as TO
schedules were permitted To leak ont
piecemeal.
Democrats Excluded.
The bill is being drawn up at eN.
ecutive sessions of the Republican
members OF the committee, which are
held daily from a. III. until 4.45 p.
M. with brief recess for lunch The
Democratic members OF the commit.
tee are rigidly excluded from these
meetings.
They will know what the bill con
tains as soon as any one else" said
Chairman Payne with a smile. That
has always been the custom. | recall
that | was on the other side OF the
bill as member OF the ways and
means when the Wilson bill was pass
ed, and. we had TO wait patiently for
the majority 10 build their bill and
introduce II in the house before we
knew what IL contained"
Under this plan every majority
member of the ways and means is un-
der sacred pledge not to discuss the
details Of the bill except with a fell
low member OF the majority. and I'm
this manner the committee keeps
closely guarded all the facts concern.
ing a measure which II Is not too
much to say affects the interests OF
every man, woman and child In the
United States. and which merchants.
manufacturers and traders generally
would pay good round sums to pos.