Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-27
House Sessions Will Hereafter
Begin at 10 O'Clock.
WILL MEET AT NIGHT, TOO
Many Members Who Wish to Be
Heard on the Tariff.
HARRISON CRITtCISES THE BILL
Claims That Duties Will Fall More
.. Heavily on the Poor Than
the Rich.

In order to expedite discussion of the
tariff bill in the House unanimous con-
sent today was given that the sessions
hereafter shall begin at 10 instead OF IL
o'clock am; that recess should be
taken at 6, and that resuming at 8
o'clock, the sessions should continue until
to:3o pm. each day The request for
unanimous consent was made by Mr.
Payne, who said that there already were
forty fifty members who had indicated
their desire to speak
Mr. Clark MOI the minority leader.
asked how long general debate would con-
1inue. He said he was much embar-
rassed by his lack of information When
his democratic colleagues asked for time
in which to speak he found it difficult to
make allotments.
Mr.. Payne replied that he was suffer
ing under d similar embarrassment. but
did not supply the information desired.
Without any intimation having been
given as to when the general debate on
the measure shall cease the Dill was laio
before the House. Mr.. Harrison On. ",
the new democratic member of the com
Inttee on ways and means, at once took
the floor.
Democrats in Harmony.
Declaring that there would be no dis
sension In the democratic ranks or the
House with regard TO the tariff, and that
the Fitzgerald amendment to the rules
made it possible for the minority to ex-
press it's views upon amendments TO the
bill by a record vote Mr.. Harrison dis
cussed various features of the bill.
Many schedules of the Payne Dill Of1er
ground for rejoicing among our parti-
sans he said. In many cases they have
not listened to the greedy clamor OF
selfish and unpatriotic men who have
appeared before this committee demand
ing prohibitive rates upon their own
articles Under republican manage
ment, said Mr.. Harrison. the nation was
fast approaching bankruptcy.
This bill contains heavy taxes upon
the women of America. he continued.
''In many respects they seem to have
been singled out for attack. The new
taxes upon tea and coffee, upon women's
provocation to wOmans suffrage. If this
tariff bill does not bring about the
franchise their cause is hopeless. But
The most serious aspect of the situation Is
that these duties are chiefly specific, and
fall more heavily upon the poor than upon
The rich. The increased tax upon cotton
stockings is even more serious than
that upon womens gloves. In hose and
half hose the enormous increases in tax
alton are entirely upon the cheaper
grades
Metal Duties Prohibitive.
While expressing qualification that
iron ore had been placed upon the free
list, Mr.. Harrison claimed that the
rates in q majority of cases on the metal
schedule were still prohibitive. He said
that in many items of that schedule the
Dingley rates had been cut in half, but
that the reduction would not cut down
the profits of the steel manufacturers.
rta han n q
however" he added. lest the lowering
of the tariff rates is to be used as
preteXt for lowering wages. which will
add to the profit of the iron masterS-a
Informed. have not the slightest doubt
that the American manufacturers Of
steel and iron are strong enough to en-
ter every market of the world Infant
Industries of the time of Alexander
Hamilton have become the giant trusts
of the time Of John Dalzell-"
Urges Free Iron and Steel.
] Mr.. Harrison declared that every item
on the steel and iron schedules should
be put upon the free list In order to
cheaper the price OF the products to the
American consumer. He attacked the
maximum and minimum provision of
the bill, the countervailing duty on cof
fee and said that the democratic party
favored an income tax. rather than an
inheritance TAX, WHICH DC ie1t u
the states
Mr. Harrison secuted the idea that
democrats in the House differed regard
ing the tariff and said that he believed
eli true democrats would be found sup
porting the doctrines set down In the
Denver platform He said that under the
rules, as amended, Mr.. Clark would be
expected To move to recommit the tariff
bill with recommendations to amend ac-
curding TO democratic traditions and prin-
ciples- Among these he said. would be
found 10 doubt, amendments to put steel
and iron products. boots and shoes, lum-
her, zinc, ore and tea and coffee on the
free LIST and also amendments to strike
out the countervailing duty on oil and
the differential ON refined sugar.
Longworth Defends the Bill.
Declaring that the Payne bill Is a
practical fulhllment of the pledge made
eight months ago to the American people
by the republican party. Representative
1-ongworth of Ohio spoke today In de-
tense of its various provisions. He re-
viewed the campaign promise of the
democratic party and said that the minor
ity members OF the ways and means COM
1nittee had just as much opportunity to
prepare a bill the majority
NO tarir bill in history that know Of
has ever been framed by democrats and
republicans acting together, said Mr..
1ongworth. 1T is matter of personal
pleasure of seeing d complete democratic
tariN measure. / confess TO feeling of
deep curiosity to know upon what basis
the gentleman from Missouri and the
gentleman from Alabama and the gentle
man from Texas could have met. If
van judge by their views expressed in
the cross-exanInation OF Witnesses. they
are as wide apart from any tariff sched-
Gles as the poles
Perfection Not Claimed
Mr.. IongwOrth declared that the re-
publican members OF the committee do
not claim that the Payne bill is In all
respects perfect. We differed ourselves
about many of the schedules" he said.
''No one of us believes that there is every
ching in IL which ought to be in it, and
nothing in IL which out not to be. We
do claim for it, however. that II
represents bona fide revision of the
tariff from top to bottom. We claim for
II that il is practically a literal COM
plance with the pledge of the republican
plat orin and with repeated declarations