Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-06-01
PAYNE MUCKRAKES
THE MUCKRAKERS
IN INTERVIEW HE STRENUOUS.
LY DEFENDS THE ALDRICH-
PAYNE TRAIFF BILL.
Says 1t Reduces Duty on So, 900, OOO,-
900 of Products Consumed.

WASHINGTON, D. G., June L.
Serene E. Payne has taken the
"muckrake in his hand to muckrake
the muckraker. The republican
floor leader and joint author of the
tariff bill, answered the criticism
that has been leyeled at the law Of
August 3 last
The newspapers of the country
have been denouncing commercialism
in business methods, Payne said.
Congress has been engaged for sew
eral years in legislating upon this
subject, and under the leadership of
the president will pass some impor-
tant bills with this END in view. But
the press has little to say about the
commercialism in it's own business
methods. Great department stores
who are importers of goods often
selling them at a profit of from SO
to 100 per cent are great advertisers
and invest millions of dollars an
nually. These men often seek con-
troll and do control the editorial
columns of some metropolitan pa
pers. This is commercialism pure
and simple. The sympathy of the
Importers, of course, is against any
rate in a tariff law beyond the rev.
enue rate, and that same sympathy
Is transfused to the editor.
The newspaper people have been
demanding rate of duty on print
paper which would destroy the paper
manufacturing business of this coun-
try. While the law reduces the rate
as far as it is safe to go without de-
stroying this great industry, the
reduction was not enough to satisfy
the newspaper advocates. Whether
this motive has anything to do with
the editorial columns il commenting
upon the law, ! am ready to leave to
the people of the country without ar
gument.
Six months ago. the statement
was made generally in the newspa-
pers that the law increased the duty
on wool and woollen goods, and
hence they argued that this caused
the increase in prices on wool and
woollen goods. have met some in
telligent newspaper men within the
past ten days who argued that | was
mistaken when | said that the rates
pm Woollen goods had not been chang
from the Dingley law, except to
over them in two instances. But
any man who has energy enough
compare the schedules in the two
oiils now acknowledges the fact, If
ne has the industry to persue the i'm
4niry further he will find that the
increased cost of woollen goods is
he same all over the world.
The increased cost OF necessities
p life is world wide. There is no in
rease In the tariff on food products
huef the present law, and hence no
u'ance in prices can be attributed
Q that as the direct effect. 1t re-
a'res a microscopic mind to deter
iihe that duty of one and one-half
e"'s per pound on fresh meats pro-
aees any appreciabie effect on the
rice of meats in this country.
Many people In this country have
81 to discover the fact which / stat
q 10 the house just before the fnal
ote ia this tariff bIll-that we had
edaeed the tariff on articles OF
Mich $4,000. 900. 900 worth were
'hsamed annually in this country.
Hd increased It only on articles such
were necessaries OF life, of which
MY ssoe.Oo0.0Oo worth were con-
amed here. The statement has
lCon9RnHAa an Earnma ra~mA