The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-08-11
History Of the Measure and a
Summary Of Its Principal
ProvIsIOns---1he New
Free List.

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Of the most momentous legislative du.
els in the history Of the national cap
ltal the new tariff measure, the Payne
ti,., hos haen completed.
The progress Of the bill through the
legislative mill Of both houses was
eventful enough to satisfy the most
pronounced cravers for parliamentary
warfare. The real battle opened when
the bill (house report 1889 was re-
ceived In the senate and referred to
the committee on finance, April 10.
Aldrich 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 CON-
mittee which determined what would
be the provisions Of the Payne bill in
its final form vas a victory for Pres.
ident Taft. He Informed all Of the
conferees that hides must be placed
on the free list, together with petro-
leum, crude and refined. They there
upon decided to cut the Dingley tariff
on hides to 8 per cent. The president
heard the news and sent word that
he had meant what he had said about
free hides. The figures were then
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Serene e. Payne Of the ways and
means committee decided to demon
strate that bis original bill, providing
Tor free hides should no longer be sub
3ected to the emasculatory operations
Of the majority Of the conferees. He
announced that not ven a 5 per cent
duty on hides would be accepted by
either himself or the house. without
free hides this tariff bill win not pass
the house." he was quoted as saying.
The tariff came of hides instanter,
and as quickly was oil put On the un-
taxed schedule. together with gaso-
line, benzine and naphtha. The leather,
rough lumber. print paper, coal and
hon and glove schedules ranked next
In Importance during the closing days
Of the controversy.
II 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 a simple matter to agree to lower
duties on boots and shoes-the Ding
ley rate being 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 n 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 p~hraseology greatly changed in the
hope of 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 cen ad valorem.
Probably the most marked reduc-
tons are found in the metal schedule.
Beginning with a decrease in the rate
Of iron ore from 40 to Is 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 $1.25 per thousand feet, with a cor
responding reduction in the differential
on dressed lumber.
The president was subjected to Sc
verest pressure from both the upward
and downward revisionists throughout.
The upward r~evisionists 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 r%enominated for the pres.
1dency. The 'downwards" told him
that Roosevelt would surely be the
next Republican candidate for presi-
dent If the campaign promises for a
downward revision were not fulfilled.
The Corporation Tax.
The president had a highly difficult
task also in preserving his scheme for
a corporation tax intact in the Payne
bill. This feature is clearly the most
unpopular one in the entire measure,
q far al 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
condemning the act and recommend
ing its repeal. according to statements
made by various congressman in