The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-09-27
PAYNE DEFENDS TARIFF
Says, However, That it is Not All
That Could Be Desired.

nat Oouiu DC desired.
Lyons, N. Y, Sept. 24.-Represen-
tatiye Serene E. 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 meas
ure before the congressional conven-
ton which renominated him here yes
terday. He said in part: Il have al
ways been ready to give an account
of my stewardship to my constitu-
ents There has been so much of UNI
Just criticism, so many mistaken
statements made during the past year
and half, that ii seems more fitting
than ever to speak somewhat in de-
tail of what has been accomplished.
The platform promised a revision OF
the tariff that should provide a duty
equal to the difference in cost of la
Dor here and abroad with a reason
able profit to the manufacturer. 1t
promised this as to each article, whet
her it resulted in raising or lowering
the tariff on that article. OF course,
intelligent men generally familiar
with the tariff believed that such n
revision would be downward on most
articles.
"The matter OF preparation of n
tariff bill is most perplexing one.
Under the definition of what the bill
should contain in platform as plain
as that adopted at Chicago in 1908,
J., 10 lx L. -Nt N M
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 theic ron
clusions. To reconcile these differ
ences, among ~ men selected for the
task, was a part of the labor we had
before u.s. and in the last analysis
these differences had to be settled by
majority vote. The result of our
deliberation was most satisfactory to
me in general results, although there
were other items. like those Of the
wooden schedule. which I was anxious
TO revise. II was source Of great
disannointment to me. after two ex-
haustive and extended hearings. that
II wae not able TO present any pro
cram that majority OF the commit.
tee would adopt for a revision of this
schedule. The reason was not that
the committee was unduly influenced
nv 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 rea.
sonable profit to the producer. OF
course this left the wooden schedule
where II was in the Dingley act with
one or two small reductions In duties
"Some OF the amendments propos
ed by the Senate were good amend
ments and improved the bill and
when II got into conference. so far
as 7 was able endeavored to have
such amendments agreed TO and near
ly all OF them were. The law as Il
was signed by the president has re-
suited in a general revision downward
and no amount OF special pleading
no mis-statement of facts and no SUD
preston OF material facts win evel
make it appear otherwise. The law
has turned n deficit OF s5S.000,000 in
to a surplus OF more than $4,000 00(
IN its first years oneration II is q
revenue producer We put increased
duties on wines. liquors and like lux
uries. We have no apologies to make
for Il. These are the articles OF
which the revenues of the govern
ment should be raised as far as posi-
bio
| ar. 80. 49,. .t,f,c, 10 co,, tbot tb,
present tariff law has increased thu
cost az living but II Is impossible Il
nrove II. II is almost impossible Il
end n single item on which the tariff
was increased on which the price ha
shown similar increase. On tn
other hand. on nearly every iten
where we reduced the tariff. or wher
we left II the same as under the oil
law. thew have maintained the nl
urice and sometimes increased H. w
reduced the tariff on lumber from s
10 81 Or. and lumber brings the sam
old price. We increased the DUTY n
shingles from 20 IN 80 cents and m
nrice Of SHINGLES has been lower eve
since the act became n law I cOu'
enumeraie these items bv the hon
showing that the nrice has no rela
ION whatever to the changes In IN
> tariT not.
"The increase Of price Of articles
, worldwide. No other country durin
the past three or four wears has gon
through n general tariff revision an
: vet every country shows tho samo Il
, crease on the necessities OF life