New-York tribune., 1910-09-24

With him II was Z cardinal principle that
the platform on which he vas nominated
and elected was q solemn pledge 10 the
people TO be carried cut, and right royalty /
has he Per rorI13ed his part. Congress under
his leadership has placed upon the statute
books the most important pledges that the
platform contained.
: nave always been ready 70 give ar ac-
count OF my stewardship 70 my ccrStit-
Uerts. There has been so mUch OF unjust
criticism. so many mistaken statements
made during the last year and a half. that !
Il seems more fitting than ever 10 speak
somewhat in detail Of what has been ac-
corlplished.
The platform promised a revision Of the
tariff that should provide duty equal 70
the difference IN cost Of labor here and
aoroad, with a reasonable pronr % the
rla nUfacturer. It promised this as 70 each
article. wherher Z resulted IN raising or
lowering the tariff on that article. OF
course. intellieent men generally familiar
with the LSriH believed that such a revision
would be downward on most articles.
Preparation of Bill rerpIexina.
The matter CT preparation Of a tariff
bill IS 4 most perplexing one. Under the
definition OF what the bill should contain
IN a platform IS plain as thar adopted az
Chico 90 in 1903 the task IS not easy With
z o-IerenI wage scale n every country,
and with q difference in wages in every
part q each country. honest men. seeking
the difference in iaFo~ COST here and abroad
viii not agree N all their conclusions. To
reconcile these Differences among twelve
men selected for the task was 2 part OF
analys those differences had TO be settled
~ a majority vote. The result Of our de-
hberauons was most satisfactory TO me IN
general results. although there were other
items. like those Of the wooileu schedule,
which I was aIv1oUs TO reviSe Y was d
source Of great disappointment 10 me, after
TWO exhaustive and extended hearings. that
l was not able to present any programme
that a n14joritv OF the comm ttee would
adopt for a revision OF this schedule. The
reason wss not that the committee was
unduly influenced by those interested. bur
lhaJ IheY could not agree upon the labor
cost OF producing wool ard w0Ollsn goods
n this counTrv and abroad with a reason I
anle 0roft 10 the producer. OF course this
left +ne wooIlen schedule where X was in
the Dingley act. with enc or two small re-
ductions II duTieS
After telling OF the passage CT the law,
-Ir. Payne continued:
dent has resulted IN 4 general revision
downward. and nc amount OF special plead
ing. no nllsSt2IerlenI or farTs and no SUD-
preston Of material facts viii ever make II
appear otherwise.
Surplus OF Over $22,0Oc,0oo.
The law has turned = dehcit OF S580oo,o0o
INTO surplus Of more than $4,000 000 IN IFS
first years operation. Il is z revenue pro-
ducer. We pur increased duties on wines,
liquors and ike luxuries We have no
apologies TO make for IL These ars the ar
ticIas on which the revenues Of the gov
ernrenr should be raised as far as posi-
BE.
The law provides for free trade with the
Philippine Islands and has proved 4 Won
der9ul incentive 70 the prosperity Of the
people OF those islands.
L provides a maximum and minimum
tariff which has opened UP the ports Of the /
world to our people on even terms win
other countries. We have enjoyed no such
fair trade as this during the last nine
years, and the condition was growing worse
every year ana was becoming into lGr2-
ble- The law has justified itself IN this sin
gle provision.
bill changing the revenue laws IN a single
item is open 20 amendment in either house
which may change every paragraph Of any
existing revenue law. Because of this il Is
impossible to bring N Z bill making q
change n . single item without opening
UP the whole question OF revenue There
has been much discussion between mem
be1s Of the two houses looking for
remedy. I suggested TO several leading
members Of the TWO houses a year ago
last summer the feasibility OF = joint rule
which should allow the ~ ssage th~o1I1a !
both houses Of separate bills, each amend
ing a single para graph, or a single schedule /
Of the general tariff. cutting of all amend /
Inents TO any other paragraph or schedule.
Pleased With Presidents Position.
vas grariied with the general consen-
sus OF opinion that such 3 rule could be
and ought TO be adopted; that there should
be thereafter no general revision Of the
tariff but amendments involving az the
most 4 single schedule, 70 be passed upon
separately. I am much grat11ed that PresI- !
dent TAFT on suggestion OF his own; IN
dorSes the same proposition, and ! hops
with his powerful influence such z rule
NAV be adopted and tariff changes may
become possi De without involving the
whole revenue system. disheartening ana Z
disrupting all the business interests OF the I
country.
ent tariff law has increased the cost OF
living, but IL is impossible 70 prove u i
is almost Impossible 70 mo sing.e neIn
the price has shown similar increase. On
the other hand, or nearly every item where 4
We reduced the tariff, or where we LETT II !
rba same Is under the ole law they have
maintained the old price and sometimes /
increased e. We reduced the tarltt on lurn- /
same old price. We increased the duty on 1
shingles from 90 10 50 cents, and the price
OF shingles has been lower ever since the |
act became = law could enurnerate these
items by the hour. showing that the price /
has no relation whatever &c the changes IN 1
'Ths increase in price OF articles IS world /
wide Nc other country during the last /
three or tour years has gone through 1
trv shows the same increase en- the necessi- /
ties OF Ife In our own country we nave
admitted over nine millions OF Immigrants
in the Lest ten years. most or whorn nave /
STAYED with US Our population mas IN /
creased certainly sixteen millions. There /
are that many more consumers. But our
greater especially in the provision line. /
we are not sending so much abroad; there
price has increased We reduced the tarin 1
on nearly every article or meat and on
v-suv articles IN the provision line. and yet
the price has gone up.
Prices Low. but Wages Lower.
Prices were low under the Wilson law
81, 1896 'q7; the poCketbook was lower. With /
a tariff sometimes higher on various /
articles OF provisions and necessartes OF /
@ife prices were lower but the farmer 4
cot less for what ne sold. Careful COM |
partson made OF the value ot farm prod /
nets in March 1886. and March. 1910 shows
that for 10 bushels OF wheat.90 bushels OF (
sorr 20 bushels or oats. % bushels Of I
uotatoss a 2Oa-pound hog 20 pounds OF
bt,ftrr 20 dozens of eggs, a farmer could 1
get in exchange all the way from . per I
cent 20 200 ger cent more OF coffee, rice I
sugar tea. carpets. cortoh flannel, Eing- |
bayy4 sheetings. bleached and brown, shoes !
coal petroleum barhed wire uets. brick /
and other items IN 1910 than in 1880 81.
rake the matter OF ordinary woollen /
clothing a given quantity OF corn VIII |
buy twice as many suits now as i would
In 1897 In the same manner. given /
aua-4ity of wheat viii purchase on a /
rstio OF s 10 5. ef cats 90 ]. fat cattle I
: 10 / hogs TO J. eggs 10 = and so on /