Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-23
SEVERELY SCORE
TARIFF MEASURE
BILL DECLARED CRUDE AND
PR0HlBITIvE
WILL INCREASE COST OF LIVING,
REPORTS MINORITY
Democrats Find Proposed Schedule
to Be an Open challsnge for
Trade War with Every
Nation
LRy Associated Press. ]

w AS1lNG lOSs MARCH ca ilo' 'iiS
Payne tariff bill Will increase the cost
of living; that it is crude, indefinite,
sectional and prohibitiVe; and that II
is an open challenge to a trade war
with every other nation, are some OF
the criticisms of that measure made ny
the Democrats on the ways and means
committee In the minority report sub
mitted to the house by Minority Leader
Clark today.
The report is a severe arraignment of
the revision which the Payne bill pro-
poses. The countervailing duty pro-
visions for coffee and petroleum. the
maximum feature, the Cuban reciproc-
ity clause, the wooden, glass. agricul-
ture and sugar schedules are bitterly
attacked.
Declaring that a tariff is a tax paid
by the consumer, and that the only le-
ultimate function of tariff is to raise
revenue to supply the needs of the
government, the minority members in
sist that instead of an increase of taxes
or a new issue of bonds the correct
remedy for the growing deficiency in
the revenues is a reduction of the ex-
penses of government
Among Other Charges
Continuing the report declares:
THE whole maximum and minimum
tariff scheme as set forth in the Payne
bill enables foreign countries to force
us to raise the rates of the Payne
schedules 20 per cent, which would ar
ter making ample allowance for all re-
auctions in the Payne bill, increase our
tariff rates on the average much above
the rates of the Dingley law, prospect
which will bring sorrow and dismay TO
the great body of the people.
I'VE are most heartily in favor OF
such maximum and minimum tariff as
will enable our government to negotiate
tariff arrangements by making con-
cessions to other governments by re-
ducing the rates of our statute when
such other countries will make equally
valuable concessions to us; but as 1t
stands. the maximum and minimum
tariff plan of the Payne bill is an open
challenge to a trade war with every
other nation on earth. 1t is seeking
trade with club or meat ak.
Sectional and Biased
THE bill is in many respects crude,
indefinite, sectional and prohibitive. 1T
seems to us from our examination,
which was necessarily hasty. that on
the whole it increases the cost or Nv
ing" "a,
The report maintains that the tariff
ARRANGEMENT with the Philippines
should be. considered in a separate
measure and not in the general tarlft
bill.
The claim that the bill is a Sectioiidl
one is based largely on the cotton
schedule
"The Standard Oil company is as
handsomely cared for in the Payne bill
| as in the Dingley BILL the report con-
| tinues, land by reason of the proVls-
ions in paragraph 637, propularly known
| as the Joker continues to be protected
by a tariff duty of SO per cent, when
enables it to dominate and exploit the
maj
upon the public"
Referring to the reduction of 5-100 of
a cent in the duty on refined sugar pro-
vided by the Payne bill, the report de-
clares; .
blow between the eyes in reality this
infinitesimal reduction of the .Dlngley
rate will not reduce the price of re-
fined sugars--a prime necessity or Ire
To the consumer in any degree What-
soeyer. Certainly that reduction may
be properly denominated as sham.
Have Long Wrangle
After hours of bitter wrangling the
Democratic members of the house, IN
a caucus that was in session until al
ter midnight, by an overwhelming vote
repudiated the Democratic supporters
of the Fitzgerald amendments to the
rules which were adopted at the open
over the OPPOSITION of Minority Leader
Clark.
The discussion was one of the most
bitter heard in Democratic caucus IN
years.
A set of rules to govern future eau
cuses was adopted.
Mr.. Fitzgerald spoke in defense OF
his action, and was answered by Mr..
Hardwick of Georgia, who spared the
feelings of no one.
Representatives Peters and Keliher
of Massachusetts then denounced the
gag rule" manner in which Mr. Clark
had conducted the fight for change
in the rules.
After adjournment Representative
Fitzgerald asserted the introduction
and proposal of the declaration by the
caucuses was a manifestation of the
same idiotic leadership that has char
acterized the Democratic party for f1f-
teen years, and that the Democratic
members of the house, in imagining
that they were the whole Democratic
party, were like the three tailors OF
Tooley street"
Champ Clark ought to have five
crutches to walk upon," said Repre-
sentative Keliher of Massachusetts,.
He cannot stand on his own feet