Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-23
Serene E. Payne Declares New
+. Law Is Misrepresented.
REVISION MADE DOWNWARD
Results Declared by Republican
Leader to Be Satisfactory.
TURNS DEFICIT INTO SURPLUS
Not Possible, He Says, to Prove That
the Bill Increased Cost
of Living.

LYONS. y. Y. September o3-Repre-
sentative Serene F. Payne, chairman of
the ways and means committee of the
House of Representatives and author of the
tariff law bearing his name, made a warm
defense of that measure before the con-
gressional convention which renomnated
him here today He said. in part:
II have always been ready to give an
account of my stewardship to my con-
stituents There has been so much of
unjust criticism, so many mistaken state
ments made during the past year and a
half, that 1t seems more fitting than ever
to speak somewhat in detail of what has
been accomplished
Platform Promises Cited.
THE platform promised revision of
the tariff that should provide a duty
equal to the difference in cost of labor
here and abroad with a reasonable profit
to the manufacturer. 1t promised this as
to each article. whether it resulted in
raising or lowering the tariff on that arti-
Gle. OF course. intelligent men generally
familiar with the tariff believed that such
a revision would be downward on most
articles.
1.-THE matter of preparation of a tariff
bill is a most perpeXing one. Under the
definition of what the bill should contain
in a platform as plain as that adopted al
Chicago in 1905 the task is not easy.
with Il different wage scale in every
country, and with differences in wages in
every part of each country, honest men,
seeking the difference in labor cost here
and abroad, will not agree in all their
conclusions. To reconcile these differ
ences among twelve men selected for the
task, was a part of the labor we had be
fore us, and in the last analysis these diff
ferences had to be settled by majority
. vote.
General Results Satisfactory.
The result of our elaboration was most
satisfactory to me in general results. al
though there were other items. like those
of the wooden schedule, which l was
anxious to revise. 1t was source of
great disappointment to me, after two ex-
haustive and extended hearings, that l
was not able to present any program that
a majority of the committee would adopt
for a revision of this schedule.
The reason was not that the committee
was unduly Influenced by those interested.
but that they could not agree upon the
labor cost of producing wool and wooden
goods In this country and abroad with a
reasonable profit to the producer. or
where it was in the Dingley act, with one
or two small reductions in duties.
Some of the amendments proposed by
the Senate were good amendments and
conference. so far as I was able. I en-
oeavored to have such amendments
agreed to. and nearly all of them were.
Revision i Downward.
1.-THE law as 1t was signed by the Presi-
dent has resulted in a general revision
downward. and no amount of special
pleading. no misstatement of facts and
no suppression of material facts, will
sver make it appear otherwise.
"The law has turned deficit of $5S 600 =
100 into q surplus of more than so, OOO 600
In its first years operation. 1t is a reve-
nue. producer. We put increased duties
on wines, liquors and like Injuries. We
have no apologies to make for it. These
are the articles on which the revenues of
the government should be raised as far as
possible
1T is an easy thing to say that the
present tariff law has increased the cost
II Is almost impossible to find a single
item on which the tariff was Increased
on which the price has shown a similar
Increase. On the other hand. on nearly
or where We left 1t the same as under
the old law. they have maintained the old
price and sometimes increased it.
Prices Remain the Same.
eve reduced the tariff on lumber from
e to $1.25, and lumber brings the same
old price. We increased the duty on
shingles from 80 to so cents and the price
81 shingles has been lower ever since the
act became a law. 1 could enumerate
these items by the hour showing that the
price has no relation whatever to the
changes in the tariff act
The increase in price OF articles is
worldwide No other country during the
past three or four years has gone through
general tariff revision, and yet every
country shows the same increase on the
necessities of life"