New-York tribune., 1909-04-11
THE HnK-NE T4RTFF Bill

The PAYNE bill as it goes TO the SENATE, rep
resrIrs an honest effort 10 carry our the pieuSes
Of the Republican national platform 1t eHects
:. substantial downward revision OF Ihe Dili3ie!
rates and attempts 10 apply the prole1lNe Pi III
cin. scientifically and nationally. In so doing
II GOES much too far 10 suit the 'stand-ldt'eIS'
,--1o consider their own interests paramount 10
Tho General GOOD On the other hand, Il does
NOT satisfy the extreme CUbdeniteS, 10 whom
reasonable protection is more obnoxious IMAM
any other form of protection. because harder 10
dis,rpdft or overthrow. 1t : only from sncH
.. na-vcrted point of view that the Payne blIl
cos, no attacked as n triumph Of reaction.
,7,, former ueig!hor. The Times. has 50 at
lacked il. Yet the Payne bill strikes the duty
rom coal. iron ore. hides and Oh ana Oh
,,roducts 1t greatly reduces the duties on iulii-
Der and lumber products. admits WOOD pup Tree
and takes the duty off all art works except
those of recent production The Times mas
publfshpd hurdreds-possibly thousands-oI
column Of editorials advocating such changes
in our scheme of tariff taxation Yet now it
ignores the fultiIment of its demands and says
that the Payne bill is worse than the Dnsiey
biIl-"a triumph Of reaction,
4 fairer analysis will show that compared
with the DingIey bill the Payne bill exhibits
rational progress. II introduces the maximum
minimum principle which will be Of undoubted
value in dealing with foreign countries when
have adopted that principle and will furnISh Us
q means Of securing everywhere the most Ia
yored nation treatment which We are prepared
10 give. As our industries develop and we attain
orr natural place as one of the greatest of the
manufacturing and exporting nations, protective
duties must decrease and revenues from tariffs
must diminish. To those, therefore who hope to
see customs duties gradually lowered and finally
removed the Payne bill should be especially wei
come. since in imposing permanent federal IN
hpritance tax il at least points the way to a
gradual shifting of the basis of federal taxa
tfon. Even by the Cobdentes. therefore, 1t
ought to he hailed as long step in advance.
We have already expressed our view that the
Payre bill was improved by the limited con
sideration allowed it in the House. The
changes made were. on the whole. highly behe-
fetal II is to he regretted therefore. that the
House did not have enough confidence in lJself
to 20 on record on more questions than were
included in the provisions Of sthe special rule
governing debate on the bill. There does not
apDear 70 be any good reason why the House
should not have voted on the maX:mum-milI-
Mum sections the paragraphs increasing The
duties on gloves and hosiery. the inheritance
tax section. the free coal provision and other
paraeraphs and sections on which there were
divisions Of opin-,1. The House Of Repre-
sentatfves is vested hy the Constitution with
the exclusive right 10 originate revenue bills.
II ought 10 exercise that right ntelliSently and
deliberately. expressing Its opinion on ali points
at issue and laying firm foundation FOR any
contest with the Senate on changes il its plans
for taxation
Under the autocratic system which has been
fastened on the House the members have SO
Civested themselves Of The sense OF individual
responsibility that they now recognize the oI-
porrunity 10 vote on q schedule in tax Dill
only as a privilege generously granted them by
the Speaker and the Rules Committee II they
.-annat pass on the details Of a tariff bill. they
have the option Of going over 10 the Senate
and making their views and wishes known 10
the Senate Finance Committee Naturally such
, situation weakens the authority OF the House
as A factor in tariff legislation and gives color
70 the common opinion that the Senate IS tie
real mower which writes the schedules Il
should not be - and f the House Of Repre-
santatiyns had leaders to-day OF the ThaddtuN
Stevens stamp it would not be 50 The con
sideration Of the Payne bill WAS much more
serious in character and more fruitful III results
than was the consideration of the DmgIey bill
But il could we'll have been even more serious
and more fruitful.