Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-02-14

ward revision was a fair implication from
the tariff plank in the platform
He then discussed the Payne-Aldrlch
law in the same strain that characterized
his famous Winona address. He admitted
that the promise of the party had not
been Kept so far as the wooden schedule
was concerned, but defended the rest of
the act as law fixing general reduction
in rates.
This he sought to prove by figures based
upon the results in the first six months
under the act. On this point he said
",The bureau of statistics is authority
for the statement that during the first
six months of the operation of the Payne
law which has just ended, the average
rate of duty paid on all dutiable imports
was 81 90 per cent. ad valorem.
THE average rate of duty paid on all
imports for the same six months for the
four preceding years under the Dingley
law was 24.03. This would show that the
reduction in the Payne law is 2.94 per
cent of the value of the goods, or that
the reduction below the previous tariff
rates is u per cent, showing a downward
revision of this extent in those goods
which are dutiable.
But this is not all. Under the Payne
law SIG per cent. of the gross imports OF
the last six months have been entered
free while under the four years preceding
for the same six months the free list
amounts to 1916 per cent of the total
importations: so there was not only re-
duction of duty on dutiable imports of
about u per cent, but alison an enlarge
ment of about the same per centage of
the free list.
For the production of revenue the
Payne law is even more an Improvement
on the Dingley bill. During the six
months that the Payne tariff was in
force, from Aug. to the night of Feb. .,
the customs receipts amounted to Sl66,-
0O2, $50 a. Under the Wilson-Gorman tar
iff the semi-annual average was $eS' h.
625. 90. Under the Dingley tariff the SEMI
annual average was $50, 265, S41a
Under the Wilson tariff the average
annual customs receipts per capita We're
g. "a. under the Dingley tariff 1928; whila
under the Payne tariff they are $3n
For the six months that the Payne
tariff has been in force the total receipts
have been 1928, S99 23l.9l. while the dis
bursements have been 1882, 7S3. 2S3.os, show
ing that the expenditures exceeded the re
CENTS by only sS,SS4,o51.17, with no collec-
tioh as yet from the corporation tax.
For the corresponding period last year
the expenditures exceeded the receipts by
over s4O00o,OOO This showing indicates
that under the present customs law the
deficit will be promptly wiped out and
that to meet our normal expenditures we
shall have ample revenue.
II therefore venture to repeat the re-
mark have had occasion to make be-
fore, that the present customs law is
the best customs law that has ever been
passed and it is most significant in this
that it indicates on the part Of the Re
publican party the adoption of a policy
to change from an increase in duties to a
reduction of them and to effect an in
crease of revenues at the same time"
The President dwelt at length on the
benefits that are expected to result from
the work of the unbiased tariff commits
sion. whose figures are to be substituted
for the pre- JUDGED testimony of interested
parties in future tariff revision work,
and expressed his purpose to ask Con-
gress for s25O0O0 to execute this inval-
liable and painstaking investigation.
In concluding his discussion of the par
Tvs tariff promise. he said
Taken as a whole, therefore, l do not
hesitate to repeat that the Republican
party has substantially complied with its
promise in respect to the tariff and that
it has set itself strongly in the right di-
rection towards lower tariffs and furnish
ed the means by which such lower tar
ifs can be properly and safely fixed"
The speaker next turned to the plank
in the platform which favors the estab-
lishment of postal savings banks and de-
clared law to this end was now before
Congress.
Regarding the progress made with It's
passage he said: 'In the present stage