The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1909-08-20
History Of the Measure and a
Summary Of Its Principal
Provisions The New
Free List.

After one Of the bitterest and one
OF the most momentous legislative du-
els in the history Of the national cap
ital the new tariff measure, the Payne
bill, has been completed
The progress Of the bill through the
legislative mill CT both houses was
sVsntful enough to satisfy the most
pronounced crarers for parliamentary
warfare. The real battle opened when
the bill (house report 143s) was re-
esived in the senate and referred to
the committee On finance. April 10.
Alirich Of Rhode Island the leader Of
the senate as chairman Of the finance
committee, subsequently became chair
man Of the conference committee,
which was appointed to adjust the diff
ferences arising between senate and
house and between both houses Of
congress and the president.
Taft For Free Hides.
The report Of the conference COM
Nittse which determined what would
be the provisions Of the Payne bill in
It's final form was victory for Pres
ident Taft, He informed oil Of the
ConfeTeeS that hides must lie placed
Gu the free list, together with petro-
leum, crude and ienned. They there
upon decided to cut Tie I'ingley tariff
Cn hides to Per cent. The president
heard the news and senf word that
he had meant what be had said about
free hides. The Igulss We're then
lowered to Per cent? Now Chairman
Serene L, Payne Of the ways and
means committee decided to demon
strats that his original Till, providing
for free hides should no longer be sub
Jected to the emasculatnry operations
OF the majority Of the conferees. He
ahnouncei that not even 5 Per cent
dury on hides would lie accepted by
either hiMself OF the house. without
free hides this thrift Till will not pass
the house" he was quoted as. saying.
The tariff came. off hides instanter.
and as Quickly was oil put on. the IN
taxed schedule. together With gaso-
line, benzine and naphtha The leather,
rough lumber, print paper, coal and
iron and glove schedules ranked next
In importance during the closing days
IF the controversy. :
If hides came in free, the important
New England boot and shoe manufac-
turing interests would consent to a re-
duction Of the tariff on their products,
otherwise they would continue to fight
The solving Of the hides problem left
it, Il simple matter to agree to lower
duties on boots and shoes-the' Ding
ley rate heing 25 per cent. Saddlery
and harness were cut to 40 per cent,
as against the Dingley rate Of As per
cent. The president resorted to the
unusual method Of sending a written
message to the conference committee
Demanding lower rates on lumber and
gloves than the Payne bill provided,
and he secured them.
Wool and Cotton.
The wool schedule underwent no
change Of consequence, but the entire
cotton schedule was reconstructed and
the pIiraseology greatly changed in the
hope preventing reductions through
decisions. by the courts such as have
characterized the administration Of the
Dingley law during recent years. In
many instances the rates intended to
be imposed by the Dingley law were
cut by these decisions, the reductions
in some instances being from 60 per
cent to 8 per cent ad valorem. y
Probably the most marked reduc-
tiohs are found In the metal schedule.
Beginning with decrease In the rate
OF iron ore from 40 to 10 cents per ton.
there is a general reduction throughout
that part Of the bill. pig iron going
down from 81 to $3.50 per ton and
scrap iron from 81 to 81. The reduc-
ton on many Of the items In this
schedule amounts to about so per cent.
Rough lumber goes down from $3.50
to $l.25 per thousand feet. with q cor
on dressed lumber.
The president was subjected to Sc
verest pressure from both the upward
and downward rsvisionists throughout.
The upward revisionists told him that
a reduction of duty on hides and
leather manufactures would make the
next congress Democratic, In which
event they argued that Taft would not
possibly be renominated for the pres
idency. The 'downwards'' told him
that Roosevelt would surely be the
next Republican candidate for presi-
dent If the campaign promises for q
downward revision were not fulfilled.
The Corporation Tax.
The president had highly difficult
task also In preserving his scheme for
corporation tax intact in the Payne
bill. This feature IS clearly the most
unpopular one ia the entire measure,
So far as members Of the senate and
house were concerned. Many Of the
members argued to the president that
the tax as provided for was uncon-
stitutional Resolutions will be intro
duced IN The various state legislatures
cnndeinning the act and recon mend
ing its repeal, according To statements
made hy various congressman In
Washington
The corporation tax Of per cent on
rt,. entire Det income over and 1haVa