Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-28
payps's Warm a Support Of
Law Bearing His Name.
Charges Unjust Criticism and
Mistaken Ideas Concerning It.
Preparing Tariff Bill q PsrpIexIng
Problem He States.

Lyons. N. Y, Sept. 27.-Representa-
tive Serene +, Payne. chairman of the
ways and means committee OF the
House of Representative and author
of the tariff law bearing his name.
made warm defence of that measure
before the congressional convention
which renominated him here. He
said in part:
Il haye always been ready to give
an account of my stewardship to my
constituents. There has been so much
of unjust criticism. so many mistaken
statements made during the past year
and a half that it seems more fitting
than ever to speak somewhat in de-
tail of what has been accomplished.
''rhe platform promised revision
Of the tariff Mat should provide duty
equal to thetdifference in cost of labor
here and abroad with reasonable
profit to the manufacturer 1t promis-
ed this as to each article, whether it
resulted i'm raising or lowering the
tariff on that article. OF course, in
telligent men generally familiar with
the tariff believed that such a revision
THE matter of n preparation of
tariff bill Is a most perplexing one.
Under the definition of what the bill
should contain i'm a platform as plain
as that adopted at Chicago in 1908, the
task is not easy. With a different
wage schedule in every country and
with differences in wages in every
part OF each country, honest men seek
ing the difference in labor here and
abroad will not agree in all their con-
illusions. To reconcile the differences
among IL men selected for the task.
was a part of the labor we had bfeore
u.s. and In the last analysis these diff
ferences had to be settled by a ma
jOrity vote. The result of our DELHI
Grafton was most satisfactory to me
in general results, although there We're
other items. like those of the wooden
schedule. which | was anxious to re-
wise. 1t was a source of great disap-
pointment to me. after two exhaustive
and extended hearings, that | was not
able to present any program that
majority of the committee would
adopt for a revision of this schedule.
The reason was not that the commit
tee was unduly Influenced by those in
terested. but that they could not agree
upon the labor cost of producing wool
and wooden goods in this country and
abroad With re sonable profit to the
pr er. Of ",,u'r7 this left the WOOL
en- lie Mhete i! ras in the Ding
ley :: - ONE st,,' 1870 small reduc-
Some OF 10 amendments proposed
by the Senit, re "ood amendments
and Improved The bin. and when 1t got
into CO. fti Nnrr - far as l was able,
] endcavored 10 have such amend
n"t~ agreed = a-G rca",v all Of
\. "e.
The iaN aS il was eigned by Pres
ident Taft las resulted in a general re-
vision d"Nnv ard ana no amount Of
special spleading no MEASUREMENT OF
facts. and no supprcsSion of material
facts, will ever make it appear other
wise.
1.-THE law has turned deficit OF S5S.-
000NH into surplus of more than So.
OOO0oc in its first years operation. 1t
is revenue producer. We put increas-
ed duties on wines. liquors and like
Injuries. We have no apologies to make
for 1t. These are the articles on which
the revenues of the government should
be raised as far as possible.
1T is an easv thing to say that the
present tariff law has increased the
cost of living. but it is impossible to
prove IT ia almost impossible to find
single item on which that tariff was
increased on which the price mas
shown a similar increase. On the oth-
er hand. on nearly every item where
we reduced the tariff. or where we ieft
!; the same as under the old. they nave
maintained the old price and some
times Increased It, We reduced the tar
III on lumber from So to h.25. and lum-
Der brings the same old price. We IN.
creased the duty on shingles from 81
10 so cents. and the price OF shinsies
IfsS been low ever since the act be-
came a law could enumerats these
items NV the hour. showing that tue
price has no relation whatever TO the
changes of the tariff act.
1.-THE increase in price of articles Is
Worldwide. No other country durihs
the past three or four years. has gone
through a, general tariff revision. ana
vet every country shows the same IN
crease on the necessities of life.