Omaha daily bee., 1910-09-24
PAYNE DEFENDS TARIFF Law
Author of Measure Makes Extended
Address to His Constituents.
GENERAL REVISION DOWNWARD
Act Has Turned Deficit of Fifty
Eight Millions Into Surplus of
Twenty million Dollars In
One Year.

LYONS, N. Y. Sept. 2,-Representative
Senoro F. Payne chairman Sf the Ways
and Means committee, OF the house Of rep
resentatlves and author OF the tariff law,
bearing his name, made a warm defense
OF that measure before the congressional
convention which renominated him here
today He said in part:
II have always been ready to give an
account or my stewardship to my con-
! stitutents. There has been so much Of
unjust criticism, 80 many mistaken state
ments made during the past year and a
half. that is seems more fitting than ever
| to speak somewhat in detail of what has
been accomplished
| The republican platform promised re-
vision of the tariff that should provide q
duty equal TO the difference in cost of
labor here and abroad with reasonable
profit to the manufacturer, It promised,
This as to each article, whether it resulted
I In raising or lowering the tariff on that
article. OF course, Intelligent men gen
orally familiar with. the tariff believed that
| such a revision would be downward on
most articles. The matter OF preparation
Of tariff bill is a most perplexing one.
! Under the definition of what the bill should
contain IN a platform as plain as that
adopted at Chicago In 1905, the task Is
not easy With a 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 differences,
among twelve men selected for the task,
was a part OF the labor we had before us;
and in 1.-The last analysis, these differences
/ had to be settled by majority vote
THE result of our deliberations was most
satisfactory to me in general results al
though there were items, like those of the
wooden schedule. which l was anxious to
revise. 1t was a source of great disap-
pointment to rue, after two exhaustive and
extended hearings that | was not able to
present any program that a majority OF
the committee would adopt for a re-
vision of this schedule. The reason was
not that the committee was unduly in
fluenced 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 reasonable
profit to the producer. OF course this
left the wooden schedule wher, It was in
the Dingley act. with one or two small
reductions in duties
Most of the amendments proposed by
the senate were good amendments and
AiAipipNNN NhS UNI anu when IL got into
conference, so far as l was able to 1 en-
deavored to have the amendments agreed
to and nearly all OF them were
Tine law, as II was signed by the presi-
dent has resulted IN general revision
downward, ana no amount of spec al plead
ing, no misstatement of facts, and no sun
preston of material facts, will ever make
It appear otherwise
! THE law has turned deficit of S6SOO0 OOO
into a surplus of more than 500 600 ON IN
its first years operation. Il is a revenue
producer. We put Increased duties on
wines, liquors and like luxurles We have
, no apologies 10 maze for it, These ars
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 nras-
ent tariff law has increased the cost NJ
J living but II is impossible to prove IT, II
Is almost impossible TO find single item
on WHICH the tariff was increased on which
the price has shown a similar Increase o.
the other hand, on nearly every item wbsre
we reduced the tariff. or where we left a
the same as under the old law. thew bsy,
maintained the old price, and sometimes IN.
creased 1t. We reduced the tariff on INN.
Der from 81 TO H.25, and lumber brings IN.
same old price. We increased the dJt, or
shingles from 90 to 80 cents. and the nric,
of shingles has been lower ever since m,
act became a law I could enumerate thes,
items by the hour, showing that the pyie,
: has no relation whatever 10 the changes 4,
the tariff act.
The increase in prices OF articles Il
world wide. No other country during IN,
! last three or four years has gone tbTong,
general tariff revision, ana vet ever;
5 country shows the same inereaEe on IN,
necessities of life"