The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-08-05
Has Encountered Rough Abuse But
Proves to Have Been the
Best ono Of Them
All.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS
Records and Figures Show That the
Present Tariff Bill is Just
What Taft said 1t
Was.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5.-One year
ago today the Payne tariff bill became
law. For a yearling the youngster
is the huskiest thing of it's kind ever
placed on the federal statute books,
yet 1t has encountered the toughest
treatment that any product Of it's
kind ever received, even at the hands
of persons to whom 1t should be near
and dear, and who should foster and
protect 1t against the yissitudes of
early childhood
The Payne law has been nothing
less than phenomenon in It's revenue
producing qualities, the reason for It's
enactment. 1t has been slandered
and lambasted end criticised from one
end of the country to the other, yet
it has grown stronger each day, anu
Its first years record has never been
equaled since customs ports were es.
tablisAed in this country.
The official figures now available
contradict in SO striking manner
most Of the charges against the Payne
law as to make them seem absurd
These figures. compiled wholly with
out reference to political considera-
tions by government experts, tell the
truth In simple and direct way. and
give "the shorter and ugner word" in
no uncertain fashion to certain emf
nent politicians who are denouncing
the Payne law for its exorbitant duties
and It's failure to meet the needs OF
the people and the government.
1t appears from the statistics that
President Taft was entirely within the
facts in his two principal statements
respecting the Payne law. The day
he signed the bill the president said
he believed it to be the result OF a
sincere effort on the part of the Re
publican party to make a downward
revision, and six weeks later, at
Winona, Mimi, Mr.. Taft declared the
Payne bill to be the best tariff bill
ever passed by the republican party
It will be ten days or two weeks
before the customs statistics for July
are compiled. For comparative pur
poses, however, summary finished
today by the experts of the bureau OF
statistics tells the story of the first
year OF the law. This summary GOV
ers the eleven months ending July 1
The tale unfolded in these statistics
is so remarkable as to confound the
critics and amaze the friends Of the
law. 1t shows:
/. That the total value Of free i'm
ports under the eleven months of the
Payne law was greater than for an
average similar period OF any other
tariff law
q That the total value of dutiable
Imports was greater than for an aver
age similar period of any other tarin
law
3. That the percentage of free i'm
ports was greater than for an aver
age similar period of any other tariff
law, the Mckinley law alone except
ed, when sugar was on the free list.
4. That the customs receipts were
greater than for an average similal
period Of any other tariff law
.. That the average ad valorem or
dutiable articles was lower than fol
an average similar period of any othel
tariff law.
o That the average ad valorem OIL
all imports was lower than for al
average similar period of any othe
tariff law.
II goes without saying the increas,
OF both dutiable and free importations
unequaled In our history, is not in
creative of extortionate duties. "Tn,
average rate of the Payne law is a
least per cent higher than the aver
age OF the Dingley law" said Cham
Clark, the minority leader, in burs
of rhetoric
A glance at the table shows hov
Tar from the facts Mr.. Clark was
The average ad valorem on all i'm
ports practically were / per cent low
er than under the Wilson tariff-for
revenue law, framed by Mr.. Clark
party, and about Az per cent lowe
than under the Dingley law.
Since the Payne law went into ef
feet the customs revenues have beer
approximately s1,000000 for ever,
working day. The monthly averag,
OF customs receipts received unde
the Payne law has been double tha
received under the Wilson law, nearI,
double that received under the Nc