Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-08-24
THE PAYNE TARIFF.
Results Of First Full Year Fully
.Justff1es It.

Results of First Full Year Fully
| Justifics 1t.
| The Payne tariff law has completed it's
It has been kicked down stairs by demo-
cratic godparents, who disowned it; lost
at several family gatherings Of its own
| people, and apologies have been made for
its appearance by some relatives who
ought to hold II near and dear.
| And yet, despite cuifs, kicks ard mis-
representations, it has grown stronger
every day, says the New York Tribune.
| Its first year OF life ended with . record Of
achievement not equaled since customs
ports were first opened on Americas shores.
The official figures now available con-
tradict in so striking . manner most OF
the charges against the Payne Law, As to
make them seem absurd. These figures,
compiled by government experts wholly
without reference to political considers
tions. tell the truth in . simple AMI direct
way and give 'the shorter and uglier
word in no uncertain fashion to certain
eminent politicians who are denouncing
the Payne Law for its alleged exor bits Mt
duties and it's failure to meet the needs Of
the people and the government.
1t appears from the statistics that Presi-
dent Taft was entirely within the facts in
his two principal state ments respecting
the Payne law. On the day be signed the
bill the President said he believed il to be
the result OF sincere effort on the part OF
the republican party to make . downward
revision, and ak weeks later. Ut Winona,
MIMI, he declared the Payne Law to be
the best tariff ever proposed by the repub-
lican party.
1t will be ten days or two weeks before
the customs statistics for July are COM
piled. For comparative purposes, how
ever, q summary finished to-day by the
experts OF the bureau OF statistics tells the
story of the Law. This summary covers
the eleven months ended with July 1, and
is shown in the accompanying facts.
The tale unfolded in these statistics il 30
remarkable rs to confound the critics and
amaze the friends of the law:
First-That the total value OF free i'm
ports in the eleven months OF the Payne
law was greater than for an average simi-
lar period under any other tariff law.
Second That the total value OF dutiable
imports was greater than for an average
similar period OF any other tarin law,
Third-That the percentage OF free inn
ports was greater than for an average
similar period Of any other tariff Law, the
Mckinley law alone excepted, when sugar
was on the free list.
FOURTH That the customs receipts were
greater than for an average similar period
OF any other tariff law.
Fifth-That the average nd rniorem on
dutiabie articles was lower than for an
average similar period Of any other tariff
law.
Sixth-Thst the average ad raiorem on
all imports was lower than for an average
similar period OF any other tariff Law.
1t goes without saying that an increase
OF both dutiabie and free importations
unequaled in American history, IL not in
dicative Of extortionatc duties. 1.-THE
average rate OF the Payne law is at least 2
per cent. higher than the average OF the
Dingley law" said Champ Clark, the
minority leader, in . burst OF righteous
how far from the facts Mr.. Clark was.
The average od coiorems on all imports
were practically per cent. lower than I'M
der the Wilson tarin-for-revenue law,
framed by Mr.. Clark's party, and about
LIZ per cent. lower than under the Ding
ley law.
Since the Payne law went into effect the
customs revenues have been approxi-
mstely q 900 900 for every working day.
The monthly average Of customs receipts
under the Payne Law has been double that
under the Wilson law, nearly double that
under the Mckinley law, and about 4, 900
600 in excess OF the Dingiey law receipts.
As . producer OF revenue, the Payne law
is so far ahead Of all other tariff acts that
an attempt to compare any of them with it
is not comparison but contrast. In addi-
ton to increasing the average monthly
customs receipts over the Dingicy law
from e21 $40, 065 to s27, 50, Isl, the Payne
Law has added more than e, 000,0 .
month to the treasury by means Of the
corporation tax.
Anoth her measure Of tariff laws success
is the amount of manufacturer materials
imported under it, for it follows that il
the imports OF these materials are gaining,
In bor il protected and emploved A table
finished to-day by the bureau OF statistics
shows the total amount of imports OF
principal manufacturer materials from
August to June 30 in each fiscal year
from 1900 to 1910. Sixteen articles are
covered in this compilation, and on every
one OF them it Is shown that there was an
increase in the importations in 1910 over
the average for the ten-y year period pre-
ceding.
With few exceptions, the importations
in 1910 were greater than IN any single
year in the preceding ten year period.