The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-08-19
What the People VIII Pay Less
and More For---President
Taft's Flight For Down.
ward Revision.


Taft bill, as the hand Of the president
has been seen in all the moves that
have shaped it from the days Of the
Republican national convention that
nominated him and adopted a plank
for tariff revision up until the hour OF
the final fight in conference committee,
when the big man in the White House
made his historic fight for free raw
materials and for carrying out the
promises Of the party.
1t is the first time there has been
change of the tariff laws In twelve
years, the Dingley act having gone
into effect In 1897. The inception OF
that law was strikingly like that OF
the present. In each case it was en-
acted by an extra session Of congress,
called as the first act Of an incoming
administration. More noteworthy still,
each Of these extra sessions was called
to meet on March Is, the first one
having been issued by William McKin-
ley Of Ohio the last by William How
ard Taft of Ohio.
The Tariff Plank.
The agitation within the Republican
party for revision Of the Dingley
act has gone on from the days Of the
Iowa idea" until at last it eliminated
in the plank in the last Republican
platform beginning:
1.-THE Republican party declares I'M
equivocally for a revision Of the tar
III by a special session Of congress I'M
mediately following the Inauguration
of the next president"
In his campaign on that platform
Mr.. Taft construed this plank as mean
ing revision downward, point that he
insisted ON in his speeches and finally
clinched in his inaugural address when
he said that conditions had SO changed
relative to the Dingley act that they
will permit the reduction of rates in
| certain schedules and will require the
advancement of few, If any" That
meant revision downward, which was
recognized substantially by the house
bill, but was changed to actual re-
vision upward by the senate bill. 1t
was at this point that the president
quietly but firmly injected himself
into the fight in the conference be-
ing behind him and forcing the senate
to yield. The Payne bill in its present
form is the result.
| First Tariff Bill.
The first tariff bill enacted in the
| United States was that of the First
congress. The opening section Of that
bill stated that, in addition to securing
money for the support of the govern
ment, the tariff was adopted for 1.-The
encouragement and protection Of man.
ufactures" From that time political
parties Of national scope have clashed
or not it should be more than "for
revenue only"
The expenses Of the war Of 1872
necessitated a material increase in the
tariff, but an adjustment occurred two
years after the close Of the war
through an act prepared by Henry
Clay.
In 1926 the tariff was jumped up a
few pegs, and year later it went
higher, from 81 to Al per cent.
When, in 1882, bill establishing a
protective tariff policy was passed,
South Carolina refused to recognize
the validity Of the increased duties
and threatened to secede. President
Jackson had to dispatch a warship to
South Carolinaian waters.
A horizontal reduction Of the tariff
took place in 1888. Twelve years later,
under Folks administration. a bill
drafted by Robert J. Walker, secretary
Of the treasury, was adopted. standing
mildly for the protective policy. This
bill lasted until 1857. when reduction
to 2Ola per cent occurred on the aver
age duties. Actually free trade sys-
tenn, this low tariff proved adequate
for all government needs until the out
break Of the civil war. when an in
creased income was necessitated
The Morrill, Bill.
The Morrill, act Of 1861 increased
duties about one-third. and the tax
was extended to include tea, coffee
: and sugar. Internal revenue was col.
lected, beginning in 1862 and two year,
later the duties were raised 80 per
cent for period Of ninety days.
After succession Of tariff measures
to the wars close a cessation Of this
foecn Of legislative activity occurred
But in 1870 and 1872 reductions were
made down the list. some Of which
were restored in 1874, making the av.
erage duty 3sl4 per cent A tariff
commission was appointed in 1882
which prepared bill that was put on
the statute books, lasting six years. l,
was at this time that James G. Blaine
took most active part in tariff dis
cnssions. 1t was in the early eighties
that William r. Morrison of Illinois
Democratic chairman Of ways and
means, prepared his we'll known hor
izontal reduction Of 20 per cent on al
taxed products, which was defeated.
! During Cleveland's first administra
6on the Mills bill was a powerful is
sue, and in 1888 the tariff fight result
, ed in the election Of Benjamin Har
rison to the presidency. He stood fo
high protective tariff. As a result
;
the duties over the marks reached dur
ing the civil war
The Wilson Bill
But the revulsion which followed re
suited in the reelection of CLEVELAND
in 1892, with Democratic congress
| Then resulted the Wilson bill. provid
ing for wholesale reductions. particu
larry as regarding iron ard steel man
ufactures. 1t should be noted that tn
Dingley bill in 1897 retained practi
cally the iron and steel duties lai,
down In the Wilson measure.
| Though William Mckinley was elect
ed on the financial issue in 1896. hi
first act after being sworn in as presi
/ dent was the calling of an extra ses
sion Of congress to repeal the Wilson
German tariff bill The result of tina
session was the Dingley law, name,
for its author, Nelson Dingley, Jr., @
Maine, which put the schedules prae
ttcally back on the McKinlev has;S