The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-04-02

goods had advanced, and the women
who resented increases in prices. were
factors in determining that defeat.
There is a growing fear among the
republicans thai the Payne bill may
have similar effect The storm OF
public resentment has already begun
to gather. Letters are pouring In upon
the members of both houses of con-
gress. The senate is getting them
from women's clubs and suffragettes.
Complaint is coming from every Sec
ton Of the country, and from all
classes OF the people. 1t comes from
the east and from the west. the north
and the south. from the people VINO
wear woolens. and those who drink
coffee; from women who wear gloves
and from those who drink tea. The
trend of the complaint is that the
Payne bill increases instead OF de-
creases the duties upon articles OF gen
eral use.
The letters indicate the sentiment
Of the average American toward tarln
as a protection measure, has under
gone a decisive form reversal since
the days of the Dingley act. At that
time the people were led to place more
or less confidence in the theory that
il capital engaged in production were
given big benefits by the tarin, II
would fairly divide up with labor; la
Dor would prosper, and every one
would have money enough to pay the
high prices.
It having been proven to the consul
mer's satisfaction that high duties
mean high prices without a corre-
spending advance in wages, the people
are writing here to let it be known
what they want is revision downward.
This the Payne bill does not give them.
The rates provided for in the Payne
bill. as it stands, average 1.55 per CEN
higher than the Dingley rates. When
the maximum and minimum arrange
ment begins operation, according t"
minority leader, Champ Clark, they
will average 21.55 higher than the
Dingley bill schedules.
In repeated ms ances the Payne
bill openly discriminates against art1-
cles particularly stockings, gloves
hats, and woolens) of the class pur-
chased by women and children of lit
sive articles used by the rich
An illustration is found in the duties
imposed uron hosiery and knit cotton
goods. Womens and children's hose, OF
the grade valued at 81 per dozen, when
is very cheap, are increased in the p1ll
from 6S per cent to 80 per cent. The
expensive grades of hosiery are left as
N the Dingley BILL at IS per cent.
Womens and children's gloves show
the same large advances in taxation
upon the cheaper grades. The increase
IN duty upon the cheapest grade is
from So per cent to 1873 per cent
which means that the poor Will nave
to pay IS cents more on every dollars
worth Of gloves purchased. The IN
crease in taxation upon the cosby
gloves. or the kind purchased by the
wealthy, is from 43 to 80 per cent
which means that the rich will have to
paw but AZ cents more on every dol
lars worth of gloves purchased. con-
trast the figures-75 pr cent advance
on the gloves Of the poor, who are least
able to stand it, and AZ per cent ad-
vance on the gloves of the rich, to
whom increased living expenses have
little interest.
In the matter of hats. the duty upon
those which are valued at $2.6S
per dozen-the cheap hat of the work
ing girl and the woman of limited
means-is placed at rs per cent Hats
valued at $25 per dozen are made dutl-
able at 43 per cent.
The cheaper grades of blankets-the
and used by the poor are dutiable al
los per cent, which means mat on
every dollars worth Of blankets
shipped in a tax of $1.05 is added for
the consumer to pay. Or, another way
of looking at it is that the Payne bill
will force the poor to lay $500 for
every 81 worth of blankets used. The
duty on the expan.ive grades or
blankets is fixed at sS pcr cent.
Fancy cotton goods used by The
poorer classes are dutiable at so per
cent. Pain cotton goods and woolens
of the lower grades show an average
above so per cent
Tea is to be more costly. The maxi
mum and minimum plan will mean
duty on coffee estimated from is to
4 cents a pound. There is to be no re-
duction in the price of sugar. Oil, nor
in any of the other articles which en-
ter so largely into the daily living ex-
penses of the wage earners OF the
United States.
That is why the Mckinley bill and
its effect upon the following election is
being recalled bv MANY republicans.