Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-08-05
TARIFF BILL WHICH NOW AWAITS PRESIDENTS SIGNATURE


~~>o-~~~~~-~-~-~-~ c~-o-c-~-~-cc-c-~e>~,
committee of ways and means, the
Hon. Serene E. Payne of New York
who also had a part in framing the
Mckinley and Dinglsy acts. Actually
1t should perhaps be called the Payne
Aldrich bill, as the chairman of the
senate finance committee has had quite
as much to do with debating it's final
provisions as Mr.. Payne. On this line
Of reasoning. however. there are these
who insist that it should be called the
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 PLANK
for tariff revision up until the hour of
the final fight in conference COMMITTEES.
when the big man in the white House
made his historic fight for free raw,
materials and for carrying ont the
promises of the party.
1t is the first time there, has been a
change of the tariff laws in twelve
years, the Dingley act having gone,
into effect in 1897. The .inceptinn of
that law was strikingly like that OF
the present. In each case 1t 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.
Taft and the Chicago Platform.
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 ii eliminated
in the plank in the last Republican
platform beginning:
THE Republican party declares I'M
equivocally for a revision of the tariff
by 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. a point that he
insisted on in his speeches ard finally
clinched in his inaugural address
when be said that conditions had SO
changed relative to the Dingley act
that they will permit the reduction
of rates in certain schedules and viii
require the advancement of few. If
any" That meant revision downward
which was recognized substantially by
the house bill. but was changed to ac-
tual revision 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 n its present
form is the result
Tariff an Historic Issue.
The first tariff bill enacted in the
United States was that of the FRS;
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 the
encouragement and protection of man
ufactures." ~.
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. a bill establishing a
protective tagiff policy was passed,
South Carolina refused to recognize
the validity of the increased duties
| and threatened to secede. President
Jackson had to dispatch warship to
South Caroiinian waters
A horizontal reduction of the tariff
took place in 1893 Twelve years later
| under Folks administration. bill
drafted by Robert J. Walker, secretary
| of the treasury, was adopted, standing
mildly for the protective policy. This
bill lasted until 1857, when redIc-
ton to 20R per cent occurred on the
system, this low tariff proved adequate
for all government needs until the out
| break of the civil w2r, when an in
creased income was necessitated
| The Morrill, act OF 1861 increased
duties about one-third. and the tax
was extended to include tea, coffee and
| sugar. Internal revenue was collected
beginning in 1862. and two years later
| the duties were raised so per cent for
| period of ninety days.
| Reelection of Cleveland.
/ After a succession of tariff measures
| to the wars close cessation of this
| form of legislative activity occurred
| But in 1870 and 1872 reductions were
/, made down the list. some of which
were restored in 1874, making the ay-
erage duty 3S1a per cent. A tarin
commission was appointed in 1885,
which prepared bill that was put on
the statute books, lasting six years. 1,
was at this time that James G. Blaine
took most active part in tariff cis-
cussions. 1t was in the early eighties
that William r. Morrison of Illinois
Democratic chairman of ways ant
means, prepared his we'll known ho:.
iZontal reduction of 20 per cent on al
taxed products, which was defeated.
During Cleveland's first administra.
ton the Mills bill was a powerful Is.
sue, and in 1883 the tariff fight re.
suited in the election of Benjamin
Harrison to the presidency. He stood
for a high protective tariff. AS a re.
suit the Mckinley bill was enacted
i n,rttiup the duties over the marks