Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1909-03-15


administered to the speaker by the
father of the house." That honor
now belongs to General H. II. Bing-
ham, who today began his thirtieth
year Of continuous service In the house.
Speaker Cannon had to share the
honor of the most conspicuous place
In the attention of the crowded gaE-
leries today with Representative Sere-
no g. Payne, chairman of the commit
tee on ways and means. Mr.. Payne is
the father" Of the new tariff bill, and
its unofficial title is "the Payne bill"
After the organization of the house
and the adoption of the rules, the
house program included the offering
by Mr.. Payne Of the new bill, the
fruit of long hours of work by him
and his confreres on the committee.
The bill goes for consideration to the
new committee on ways and means,
from whose hands it will soon emerge
with the committees 20. K" attached.
The long hearings, during which such
prominent men as Andrew Carnegie,
Elbert H. Gary, Charles NJ. Schwab
and others appeared before the com
mittee, convinced that body that the
country would welcome a speedy re-
port on the bill, and the measure will
therefore not be allowed to linger in
the committee room.
The Committee Hearings.
The committee hearings ON the pro-
posed new bill, which is now ready for
: the consideration of congress, filed six
weeks and were, according to Bourke
Cochran, one OF the Democratic men,
/ bers Of the committee, "the most ex-
! terisive and the fairest that were ever
held for the purpose of revising the
tariff" More than 300 men interested
/, In the revision Of the tariff appeared
J before the committee. They embraced
importers and exporters, manufacture
ers, farmers and others. Included in
(, their interests were an exceedingly
wide variety Of businesses Govern
J ment experts and other statisticians
were also called upon to furnish In
formation to the committee. Probably
! the most interesting witness was Mr..
Carnegie, who had declared in mag
! azine article his belief that the iron
and steel industry of America no
longer needed protection. Judge Gary.
| chairman of the board Of directors of
| the United States Steel corporation.
declared that the Independent manu-
| facturers needed high duties to pro-
tect them against monopoly OF the
i trade. Among the other trades repre-
sented at the hearings were the lum-
Der, wool, paper, sugar and fruit In
dustries. In practically every case ar
guments for and against the continu-
ance Of high protective duties were ad-
yanced, placing on the members OF
the committee the burden of decision.
| The result Of their deliberations has
been guarded with great care. Despite
| forecasts of the contents Of the bill
| alleged to be authoritative, few be-
sides it's authors know which sched-
ules are to remain unchanged, which
are to be advanced and which are to
be lowered.
Senate Also In Session.
The senate also convened today, but
for some time its sessions will not be
as Important as those Of the house.
According to the constitution, the tarfn
bill which Is the end and aim OF the
extra session must originate In the
house and be passed by that body be-
| fore 1t goes to the senate. for approval.
After it reaches the senate what that
august body does to 1t in committee
and in open session becomes Of impor-
tance and interest.
The senate has been in continuous ses-
4 sion since March 4. After the formal
reading today Of the presidents proc
lamation calling the two houses to-
gether committee was appointed by
Vice President Sherman to wait on the
president and inform him that the SEN
ate was ready to receive any communi-
cation he might be pleased to send.