The Washington herald., 1909-04-11
JOKER DISCOVERED
IN The PAYNE BILL
All Petroleum Products Not
on the Free List.
DUTY OF 20 PER CENT FOUND
VaSeIine and Some 200 Other Items
Not Specified in Measure when
Manufactured I'm Another Country
Are Taxed-DemOcrats Realize Wool
Has Been Pulled over Their Eyes.

Petroleum products are not on the free
list in the Payne tariff bill. as the Demo
cratic members Of the House OF Repre-
sentatives and the country at large were
led TO believe when that measure passed
the lower branch OF Congress Friday
night
True IL Is that crude and refined petro-
leUm are 70 be admitted 20 the United
States free. but vasellne and some 20
other petroleum products not specified in
the free list Of the bin must pay a duty
OF 20 per cent ad valorem when manufac-
tured In foreign countries. Products not
manufactured and not named in the bill
are under a duty OF 10 per cent.
This prize joker OF the Payne bill was
discovered yesterday. and for the first
time the Democrats in the House realized
that somebody had been pulling wool
over their eyes" as a member of the
minority expressed IT,
What Was Understood.
At the Ways and Means Committee
room the clerk said he understood the
bill covered all petroleum products. but
Representative Mann. OF Illinois. cor
rected this statement. when he announced
it was never the intention Of the Re-
publicans 70 put the products OF petro-
leum on the free list.
I'VE want 20 continue manufacturing
al the products in the United States" he
said.
The bin as Il now reads provides that
crude petroleum and refined petroleum be
admitted free. Parafn. one OF the chief
products used IN the United States, is also
on the free list. No reference. however.
Is made 20 vaseline or any or the 90
other petroleum products.
The shift IN the meaning OF the bill oc-
CURED when Mr.. Payne obtained unani-
nous consent 70 have petroleum. crude
and refined" transferred 10 the free list
instead OF imposing a duty OF per cent.
as provided BY the amendment OF Mr..
Norris. OF Nebraska The Norris amend
ment provided per cent duty for Pc
troleum and all the products thereof"
The bill contains q section providing
that all articles not named in another
part OF the measure shall be subject 10 a
duty OF 10 per cent on raw materials and
20 per cent on manufactured articles.
This, II can be seen. viii put a duty OF
% per cent on all products OF petroleum.
When Mr.. Payne made his motion TO
transfer petroleum 70 the free list. Mr..
Clark asked him II it was intended TO
put all the products on the free list. Mr..
Clark understood him 10 say that was his
intention. Now the Republicans say Il
Was never the intention 70 do any such
thing.
Champ Clark. leader OF the minority.
said last night il was a positive and
clear understanding that all the petro-
leum products should go on the free LIST.
and recited the conversation he had with
Mr.. Payne when the action was taken
by the House.
Plain UnderstnndinE.
That was a plain understanding. said
Mr. Clark. 'and IL they try any such
tricks as that they viii be advertised
all over the country with dishonest Jug
Cling"
II all the products OF petroleum are
placed under a duty Of 20 per cent
X would work intense hardshlps on the
Independent oil men OF the United States.
say members OF the House. II wou.. give
the Standard Oil Company protection on
all Of the articles Il produces in It's re-
ineries. and also would give It free crude
petroleum.
Mr. Mann said last night It was the IN
tention OF the Republicans TO strike our
the provision for q countervsiling duty
on oil. and this was done.
But" he added. I'VE never under
stood that refined products were to be
admitted free"
Since the Standard on Company owns
or controls the output OF wells in all
parts of the oil-producing world, a duty
OF % per cent on refined products
will not hurt that corporation in the
least. il IS said. It simply can ship In
its raw material and manufacture in the
TT~f4aI Cfatao