The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-09-30
Closing Discussion of Tariff Bill
Begins in House.
Underwood Leads OFF With
Praise of the Measure.
SAYS PLEDGE HAS Been KEPT
Carries Lowest Rates in Three
Quarters of Century.
Congressman Payne Replies on
Behalf of the Republicans.

Washington, Sept 30.-"The rates of
the tariff bill as it comes back to the
house for approval proposes a lower
taxation than any tariff bill in the last
three quarters of a century," said Rep
resentative Underwood, Democratic
leader of the house, in the opening
speech today in support of the confer
ence report on the tariff bill. The
bill as it is now before the house is
lower in its rates than either the bill
that passed the house or the bill that
passed the senate, for the house con-
ferees accepted all but three or four
of the reductions made by the senate,
while the senate receded from over one
half of it's increases
This tariff bill, with it's 26 per cent
average, is almost as low as the famous
Walker tariff which had low duties on
liquor and tobacco. Besides it's great
reductions on articles of general use
this bill places many of the necessities
of life on the free list or gives them
very low rates of tariff
Representa- tive Underwood's state
ment was greeted with applause from
the crowded Democrat side If the
house. In contrast with the average
tariff of 26 per cent ad valorem in the
Underwood Simmons bill, he said the
existing Payne law has an average of
over 40 per cent and the Wilson bill
passed by the last Democratic admin
istration had an average of over SO per
cent. The revenues under the new law
Mr.. Underwood said would yield a sur
plus of SIS, ZOO, 900 over estimated gov
ernment expenditures in 1915. He gave
the house the treasury experts figures
showing that the total government rev.
enue in 1915 would be 81 ,O26 600, 900. ex-
penditures s1.00S, 100000, surplus $1S,-
900 900.
Have Kept Their Pledge.
After three years of battle today
the Democratic party is prepared TO
keep it's pledges to the American peo-
ple,' continued Mr.. Underwood. No
matter what criticism our advorSaries
have of this BILL no matter whether
they believe it wise or worka Bile, no
man can deny that the representatives
of the American people constituting
the Democratic party in congress have
kept every pledge made four years ago
and two years ago in reference to the
reduction of tariff taxation
Il don't believe there is any danger
of this tariff working an injury to the
great producing interests of the United
States They have in the past been
surrounded by artificial conditions.
This bill will force them to modify and
change these artificial conditions, to
bring their business down to sound
and safe level.
But L believe the country has not
waited for this bill to accomplish that
readjuStment of business. Seeing the
inevitable change of tariff, business in
terests already have prepared for the
When this law is passed in
duStry and finance in the United States
will move onward. / believe an era
of prosperity and progress is heard OF
US. The law will mark the end in this
of the principle of a protective
tariff for personal greed
Payne Replies.
Representative Underwood was greet
ed with prolonged applause from the
Democrats when he concluded. He was
by Representative Payne, Re |
publican, author of the existing tariff
law and leader of the Republican con-
ferees on the Underwood-Simmo bill. !
Mr.. Payne declared the Democrats had |
overestimated the revenues that would |
be obtained under the new bill.
You have prepared your guesses on
the basis that present prosperity will |
continue" said Mr.. Payne, but you are
all trembling now for fear it won't"
Mr.. Payne declared American COM |
merce and industry had developed |
greatly under the Republican tariff and |
would suffer a disastrous setback un- :
der the new Democrat law. Represen- |
tative Payne declared President Viii
sons influence had moulded the tariff |
bill throughout and that individual /
members of congress had yielded their |
own opinions to the president. He did |
not charge the president had used pat /
ronage to secure support of the BILL but
said it was always good thing to have /
a lot of appointments on hand when !
you want to get a tariff bill through. /
Representative Payne declared the
Democrats had ceased to promise that /
the tariff bill would reduce the cost of |
living.
That's what you said last fall on
the platform he said. In decency /
YOU ought to keep it up now. But L
haven't heard word on that lately
You are all wondering what the tariff
bill is going to do
He declared there would be no reduc- |
ton in the cost of living under the next
tariff unless it came with cessation |
of business activity. All of the small |
at the wharf in New York and would |
never reach the consumer.
Nurtiock Makes Them Laugh.
Representative Murdock, one of the !
minority conferees, who was excluded
from the tariff conference, brought |
laughter by his description of the
closed conference and his duties con-
nected with it.
"a bound boy at a husking bee
must be a perfect cyclone of activity, |
to a minority member of a |
tariff conference committee" said |
Murdock.
81 fully appreciate the imposing |
honor that was conferred upon me-
he said. Scarcely 100 men out of the /
10000 who have been members of
have been members of conference
committees on tariff bills but 1 have
to report that things are not what /
they seem in tariff conferences