Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1910-02-25
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cVci USeu GI:!SsGu Ia IIllS country.
That statement met with criticism,
but most of the criticisms were profit
less, owing to the ignorance of politi-
cal prejudice-even descending to par
tisan bigotry-or the self-interest Of
those who differed with the president.
Some Of these critics claimed that the
president was rash and was indulg.
ing in prophecy as to the effect of the
schedules; but let me call your atten-
ton to the fact that President Taft
had In mind much more than the
schedules of the Payne tariff act. In
the Payne tariff act there are ~ sec.
lions, and only the first section deals
with the schedules. In the other Sec
lions are found legislation improving |
the administration of the customs, the
maximum and minimum provision en-.
abltng us to deal on an equality with |
other nations, an application of the |
present drawback provision, freer
trade relations with the Philippines,
the provision for the Panama bonds,
Improvement in many of the internal
revenue laws, the creation Of GUS
toms court located here in Washing
ton, removed from the distracting in.
fluences of the port of entry, and the
establishment Of commission or
board Of tariff experts.
"All these matters were in the mind
of President Taft when he said that
this was the best tariff law that had
ever been enacted. And whoever
voted against the Payne tariff law
not only voted against the general re.
auctions in the schedules of the Ding
ley law. but voted against all of these
acts Of progressive legislation.
Tariff Wrongly Blamed.
president Taft, in his expression
concerning the Payne tariff, has shown
that same breadth of vision, that
same lofty craftsmanship, that healthy
common sense and sagacity which au-
CUR SO we'll for the success of this ad-
ministration and foretell the trium.
plant reelection of President Taft in
1912. applause on the Republican
side.)
1--WE shall have to meet the charge
that the Payne tariff has raised
prices. This charge, as stated, has
its origin in three causes-ignorance.
political prejudice degenerating into
partisan bigotry, and pecuniary self
interest.
LET me give you three illustrations
of self-interest. A few weeks ago
some lumber dealers met in western
city and said they regretfully must
III t6A ~ ~ 40
account Of the Payne tariff. Think Of
1t, Mr.. Chairman and gentlemen!
They must raise the price from 50
cents to 81 thousand on account Of
the Payne tariff! Why, we reduced
the tariff on common boards Is cents
q thousand, and these men meet In
convention and attempt to deceive and
tell them that on account Of the
Payne tariff they have got to raise
the price of common boards 81
thousand. When any man puts that
up to you, ask him this conundrum.
II the lumber dealers have to raise
the price a dollar a thousand when
we reduce the duties IS cents a thou.
sand, how much will they have to
raise the price when we. put lumber
on the free list! applause and
laughter on the Republican side.)
Tricks Of the Enemy.
"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 price of
shoes would be reduced. have here
Dun's Review of last week. giving the
wholesale 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
Duns. One of the ablest writer's in
the United States on economic sub
jects, in his letter to the Record-Her-
aid and other papers last September,
said that the Payne tariff law was
the best and most scientifically ad-
tusted 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 wool on account of the Payne
tariff.
"He then goes on to say that is q
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 self-interests at stake
are going to attempt to discredit the
Payne tariff law, and say to you
! eentlemen-and am very sure that I
am facing men on the other side OF