Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-19

| rs cents thousand, how much will
| they have to raise the price when we
put lumber on the free list?
Mr.. Chairman, it was the same way
in reference to hides. We were told
that the price of hides would come
down if we would put hides on the free
list, and that then the prices of shoes
would be reduced. | have here Dun's
review of last week, giving the whole
sale prices in New York of all staple
commodities, and all kinds of shoes
have gone up in the wholesale market
not one reduction quoted in Dun's.
One of the ablest writer's in the Unit
ed States on economic subjects, last
September, said that the Payne tariff
law was the best and most scientifcal
ly adjusted tariff law that had ever
been passed.
Then he calls attention to the fact
| that the wooden dealers had got to-
gether and said they must raise the
price of w<al on account of the Payne
tariff.
He then goes on to say that is a
trick that was attempted under the
Mckinley law in the same way There
is not in the Payne act one change
made in the wool or wooden schedule
except two minor ones, and both Of
those were reductions. | give these
three illustrations of how men who
had pecuniary selfinterests at stake
are going to attempt to discredit the
Payne tariff law, and l say to you
sentlemen-and I am very sure that
am facing men on the other side Of
the house who will agree with me -
that that sort of criticism, that attempt
to discredit a statute law of our COM
mon country for base, selfish, pecuni-
airy gain is little short of moral
treason
Mr.. Chairman, | said that there
was a second cause for the charge
that the Payne tariff had been the
cause of rising prices, and that was
into partisan bitterness or even par
trust, that in the discussions of this
tariff act there will be none of that
feeling exhibited upon the other side
of the house
MY friends, do not join these selfish
traders in trying to make the country
believe that the Payne tariff law Is re-
sponsible for that for which the Payne
tariff is no more responsible than the
changes of the moon. AS have said
hope to discuss the relation of the
tariff to prices somewhat fully at a
later date. Now l will ask the gentle
man from Texas (Mr. Henry on this
subject of prices, how are you going
to have high priced cotton and low
priced prints; how are you going to
have high priced wheat and low
priced -four: how are you going to
have high priced oats and low priced
porridge: how are you going to have
high priced corn and low priced
johnnycale; how are you going to
have high priced wool and low priced
woolens; how are you going to have
high priced cane and low priced
sugar; how are you going to have
high priced cattle and low priced beef;
how are you going to have high priced
hogs and low priced hams? You
gentlemen who attack the Payne tariff
law and say that it has raised prices
have got to pick out the articles affect
ed by the tariff that have been raised
in price owing to increases of duty be-
fore you can show that any alteration
in the price is made by the tariff and
then you have got to be sure in com
planning of high prices that you do
not condemn the very high prices on
which your prosperity depends