Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-03-26
Leader Says Consumer Has
No Voice in Measure.
MINORITY HAS ITS INNING
Head Of Smaller House Faction De-
cries Provisions Of Document for
Reason That Only Moneyed inter-
ests Testify.

lueSc cOuSumSO several hours LlWo.
He was followed by Mr.. Clark OF Mis-.
souri,. the minority leader and mem
bers of the ways and means commit
tee. who continued the remainder Of
the day.
The senate was not In session yes
terday.
Declaring that the present was no
time for an academic discussion of the
tariff, Mr.. Clark (Mo.), said that he.
had gone to Chairman Payne and sug.
gested that in SO far as he was con-
cerned he glady would have waived
all general debate on the bill If as.
surance could be given that there
would be ample time for amendment
and debate under the five minute rule,
of the entire measure, section by sec
ton. 1t was his Judgment that the bill
could be amended In many respects.
Consumer Not Represented.
Touching the failure of the con.
sumner to appear before the committee
Mr.. Clark said that there were two
reasons for this, one, that in the be-
ginning the public looked upon the
hearings as stupendous confidence
game. and second, that the consumer
felt that the possibility of having his
tariff burden. substantially reduced
was so remote that he did not think IT
worth travelling expenses. hotel bills
neglect of business and loss OF
time. While that applied to the fairly
well-to-do ultimate consumer, he said
there were millions of ultimate con
sumers who had not the wherewithal
to foot bills for q trip to Washing
ton.
Calls Fordney Fighter.
To Mr.. Fordney of Michigan, Mr.
Clark extended his assurances of his
"profoundest consideration asa fighte,
He would put game-cock to blush il
that regard" II. he said, Mr.. Fordnes
were given carte blanche to write d
tariff bill sit would be short, if moi
sweet, and would be In these words:
If an article can be produced in thi.
country by any process or at any cost
whatsoever. nothing like it shall BIZ
imported All through the hearings
he said, Mr.. Fordney was on hand wit
first aids for the wounded. He said
that the rest of the Republicans. first
or last, came over to our side," on
different subjects and in various de
grees, but that Mr.. Fordney never low
cred his colors. Neither Leonidas al
the pass nor Horatius at the bridge
was a marker to him." he said.
Discusses Body's Predicameht.
Discussing the situation in which
the ways and means committee found
itself. he said, it was unprecedented.
because both parties had favored re
ducing the tariff rates of the Dingley
bill. "Of course" he said, "the Re
publican platform was eQuivocal," but
he added in that connection most OF
the Republican members Of the com
mittee came at last to construe it as
revision downward. The Democrats
so construed 1t. and he said the better
part of wisdom and patriotism would
have been for all the members to have
elaborated in the work of preparing
the bill after the hearings closed. I'VE
are all American citizens equally in
terested in the prosperity, glory and
happiness of a mighty people," he ex
claimed. mot one Of us had the slight
est desire to hjure in any way or tc
any extent whatsoever any legitimate
American industry"
Deficiency In Revenues.
In addition to the peculiar coinci
dence of both parties being under or.
ders to revise the tariff downward, he
said. all were stared in the face by a
large and increasing deficiency in the
revenues. There were. he said. but
three ways known among men by
which deficiency may be cured, cut
down expenses. increase taxes and
issue bonds. To issue bonds, he de.
clared. was no remedy at all. 1t was
simply postponing the evil day when
they must be paid, principal and inter
est. Taxes, he commended, never
should be increased where possible tc
avoid it.
Cutting down appropriations, he
said. where 1t could be done, without
stinting the government In any Of Its
proper functions. was the most eff.
cient remedy for deficiency, but, -
he added. "our Republican brethren
seem utterly incapable Of cutting down
appropriations"
I'VE favor that remedy on the old
Jeffersonian principle of economy in
the nuhlic aYnensa that 1a hor nav ho
lightly burdened."
The Payne bill, Mr.. Clark asserted
contained divers things which should
have been omitted, and omitted divers
things which 1t should have contained.
"As confessedly its chief purpose is to
increase the revenues" he said, sit
would appear to have been the part Of
wisdom to have made both the in.
creases and the decreases in rates to
that end and that end alone"
There was, he declared, no question
" free trade involved in the revision.
I the present posture of affairs, he
.rglied.
came nervous. He disregarded the
advice Of the detectives who had told
him to keep out Of sight Of the news
paper men and ths crowds of curious
people who had learned that he was
In the city. Emerging from his room.
he walked up and down the hall on
the second door. with hands clasped
across his breast Then. unable to
stand the suspense longer, he went
into the lobby md seated himself In