The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-04-22
WASHINGTON
From our Regular Correspondent.

WdSHlnStOn, ~. -, APR. l9, 1909.
The Aldrich substitute for the
Payne tariff bill has finally been
completed, or practically so, and
made public. The Democratic
members of the Finance committee
were given no opportunity even to
read the bill before it was reported
10 The Senate, the majority, solely
by virtue of superior numbers, vot-
ing down the motion of Senator
Baily to postpone report until
time should be afforded the Demo.
Gratis to examine the measure and
at least present their views to the
committee. This course WAS typi.
cal of the high handed methods
which the majority has pursued
throughout the consideration of the
measure. The Democratic mem
bers of the committee were given
no oportunity to examine witnesses
or even to hear their testimony aud,
as Senator Aldrich put it, THE
majority expects to assume the full
responsibility for the bill".
*s.*
AS was TO have been expected,
the Ald-ich bill is not tariff revis.
ion III any sense of the word. In
fact, the changes fro'n the Dingley
law are 80 inmaterial that in the
opinion of many experts it has
been simply travesty on revision
and wholly useless disturbance of
business to attempt at all to revise
the tariff Tariff revision by its
friends" has proven a total failure.
There ave, it is true, few spec
tacular changes iii the Aldrich bill.
A duty of IS per cent has been
placed OH foreign built yachts and
the duty on champagne and wines
has been increased somewhat, but
on the other hand the duty on
woolens has been increased, lumber
is still taxed at 81 thousand feet,
the tax Cn gloves and hosiery is
left the same as the Dingley law
and, in a word, there are no mate
rial reductions from the Dingley
law on any of the real necessities
Of life.
*.
The Democratic Senators held a
caucus today to consider what steps
they should take i'll the interest
of the consumers to secure some
reductions on those things which
the plain people are compelled to
buy day after day and on which
they now pay high tribute to the
trusts. The Democrats will make
an earnest fight for reductions all
along the line except in those
things which the South produces,
such as lumber, sugar, etc. An cf-
fort will be made by the Southern
Senators to restore the duty on
lumber to So thousand, which is
the Dingley rate and the Texas
and other Senators will doubtless
seek to have the duty on hides in.
creased.
~
There is serious question as to
whether the Aldrich bill will pro-
duce sufficient revenue to carry on
the government aud Senator Bal
ley will introduce an amendment
providing for an income tax which
is in accord with the views of Pres
ident Taft, although there is not
the slightest likelihood that the
Senate will permit any such amend
ment to be added to the bill.
However, the Republicans are
themselves considerably worried for
fear the President will send mes
sage to Congress urging that some
form OF income tax be adopted.
*#*
The House leaders having, as
they supposed, carefully concealed
a little Joker" in the Payne bill
which would have enabled the
Standard Oil Company to import
the petroleum from its Mexican
mines free of duty and would have
afforded protection cf from 20 per
cent upwards on all products of pc
troleum, were detected in their lit
tie game and were compelled to
adopt resolution recalling the bill
and adding the products of petro-