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The Commoner.
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
VOL. 9, NO. 31
Lincoln, Nebraska, August 13, 1909
Whole Number 447
Another Increase?
The most astounding provision in the Aidrich
bi.ll is the one which provides for a conditional
increase of 25 per cent ad valorem on the 31st
of March next. If this increase goes into effect
there will be a large increase all along the line;
Congressman Cullop of Indiana', among others,
called attention to this feature. He sayB.
"On the chemical schedule there is a reduc
tion,' but on theimportant articles of universal
consumption in the necessities of life there is a
largo increase. On the schedule duties there
is an increase of 2 per cent over the Dingley
rates. In other words, the average specific
duties in the Dingley bill were 45 per cent and
in the Payne-Aldrich bill the average specific
duties are 47 per cent. The bill reported by
the conference committee is higher than the
Payne bill as originally passed by the house.
"But the specific schedule duties do not con
stitute the real rates, and this is where the pub
lic is being deceived about the real tariff. In
section two of the bill is where the consumer
is handed a good sized lemon. That section
provides 'that after the 31st day of March, 1910,
there shall be levied, collected and paid on all
articles when imported from any foreign coun
try into the United States the rates of duty pre
scribed bf the schedules and paragraphs of the
dutiable list of section one, and in addition
thereto 25 per cent ad valorem; which rates
shall constitute the maximum tariff of the
"United States.'
"This means that in addition to the rates
fixed in the more than 4,000 specific schedules
there shall be added as the 'tariff 25 per cent of
the value of the articles as the real tariff on
the same and hence this raises the average
tariff rate to 72' per ceiit, the highest by far
ever levied.
. "Let ub illustrate what is meant by this. For
instance, take rough lumber, the cheapest kind.
The specific duty fixed in the schedule is $1.25
per thousand, but to which must be added the 25
per cent ad valorem duty provided by said section
two. Suppose such lumber is valued at $10 per
thousand feet, 25 per cent of that value is $2.50,
to which add the $1.25, and it would make the
tariff on rough lumber of that value $3.75 per
thousand feet. On lumber valued at $20 a
thousand the tariff is $6.25, and on lumber
valued at $30 a thousand it is $7.50.
"The Dingley rates were $2 a thousand
straight. Thus it will be seen there has been
a very large increase in the tariff on lumber
instead of a decrease, if the maximum rate pre
vails, and we believe it will.
"Take coal. The Dingley rates were 67 cents
a ton. Under the Payne-Aldrich bill the specific
duty is 45 cents a ton to which must be added
the ad valorem duty of 25 per cent provided for
in said section, to get the real duty. Take coal
of the value of $1 a ton, the specific duty Is
45 cents, and the ad valorem duty is 25 conts,
which makes the actual tariff on coal valued at
$1 a ton, 70 cents.. On coal values at $2 a ton
the tariff is 95 cents a ton, and so on. Instead
of decreases here is a substantial increase.
"It is also published thoro has been a reduc
tion of the duty on print paper from $6 a ton
to $3.75, but this Is not a fact. Such a reduc
tion is made in the specific duty named in the
schedule, but to this you must add the 25 per
cent ad valorem. Suppose a ton of print paper
is valued at $40. The specific duty Is $3.75 plus
25 per cent of $40, which is $10, making the
total duty on a ton of the above stated $13.75.
Thus it will bo seen that instead of a decrease
it has been more than doubled.
"What is true of these articles taken as illus
trations is true of every item in the dutiable
list consisting of more than four thousand
items. The woolen schedule on specific duties
is the same as the Dingley law, to which must
be added the 25 per cent ad valorem duty, which
makes an enormous raise in the tariff on woolen
goods."
If the president had worked as hard to get
the tariff down as he did to got the progressive
republicans up to the Aidrich schedules, he
might have accomplished more.
CONTENTS
ANOTHER INCREASE?
PROMISE AND PERFORMANCE
CAUSE OF' THE CONSUMER
"TARIFF REVISION" FRAUD
PRESIDENT TAFT DECLINES .
LESSONS FOR THE ELECTOR
THE PEOPLE MAY WANT TO KNOW
THE TARIFF IN CONGRESS
GOVERNOR JOHNSON AND TONNAGE TAX
THE SUTTON CASE
THE INCOME TAX AMONG THE STATES
IN NORTH CAROLINA
EDUCATIONAL SERIES REPUBLICAN
EDITORIALS OF THE VINTAGE OF 1909
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
HOME DEPARTMENT
WHETHER COMMON OR NCT
i NEWS OF THE WEEK
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THE PLAIN TRUTH
To the Editor of the World: Why not
tell the truth and shamo the devil about
the Payne-Aldrich tariff- bill? It was
written in favor of tho' outlaw trusts and
against tho welfaro of tho peoplo, In
brazen defiance of equity, honesty and
justice. It can justly bo called tho iub-llc-be-damned
tariff bill.
JAMES A. MOOREIIEAD.
New York, August 3.
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FM'JW WOOL AND CHEAPER CLOTHING
Free hides has brought us cheaper leather
harness and Bhoes. Now let uh have froo wool
and cheaper clothing. Not one fanner In ton,
probably not one in twenty, raises sheep. Wliy
should all farmers and all tho rest of tho peoplo
pay an enormous duty on woolen goods? With
free hides tho cattle men nro no longer fooled
by tho tariff and they can bo counted on to help
got free wool and cheaper clothing. Every dem
ocratic candidate for congress next year ought
to see to it that his platform contains a plank
demanding free wool and cheapor clothing.
Promise and Performance
The Promise
iW.' n.-f i iTti Ijulfiiiaufc'd
The republican tariff plank for 19.08. -wad as'
follows: " " :' . f
The republican party declares unequivocally t
for a revision of the tariff by a special session of .
congress immediately following tho inaugura
tion of the next president and commends the
steps already taken to this end in tho work as
signed to the appropriate committees of con
gress which are now investigating tho operation
and effect of existing schedules. In all tariff
legislation the true principle of protection is
best maintained by the imposition of such duties
as will equal the difference between tho cost of
production at home and abroad, together with
a reasonable profit to American industries.
We favor the establishment of maximum and
minimum rates to be administered by the presi
dent under limitations fixed in tho law, tho
maximum to be available to meet discrimina
tions by foreign countries against American
goods entering their markets and the minimum
to represent the normal measure of protection
at home; the aim and purpose of the republican
policy being not only to preserve, without ex
cessive duties, that security against foreign com
petition to which American manufacturers, farm
ers and producers are entitled, but. also to main
tain the high standard of living of the wage
earners of this country, who are the most direct
beneficiaries of the protective system.
Between the United States and the Philip
pines we believe in a free interchange of. pro
ducts, with such limitations as to sugar and to
bacco as will afford adequate protection to do
mestic interests.
The Performance
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Tho following report of a distinguished re-
publican senator's speech Is by tho Associated
Press:
Senator Dolliver was the first speaker of tho
day. Opening his remarks with a' defense of .
his course as a republican in contending for
lower custdms duties, Mr. Dolliver denied tho
right of other republican senators to question .
his position in the senate, a position which ho
said was dictated by his conscience.
"It has been my fortune," he said, "to en
joy that mutual good will that should meet tho
efforts of a senator to change tho tariff laws
of tho United States."
The people of his state, he added, had been
referred to as "green folk," while tho state
itself had been declared to bo unreliable, given
to populism and greenbackism. Iowa, ho insist
ed, had always been true to republican stand
ards, and still was upholding tho interests of
the protective policy.
"Here," he said, "we have had tho spectacle
of men compelled to bargain with tho authori
ties which control the senate for tho protection
of their own people. Majorities are obtained
by a system of reciprocity arranged in the citadel
of protection."
Presenting a statement prepared by the treas
ury department, Mr. Dolliver said it showed the
rates in tho common schedule were increased
over the present law all along the line, and
some of them had as much as 100 per cent.
"And yet," he added, "tho statement has been
made hero that only minor and Insignificant
' changes had been made In that schedule. The
American people are being duped with that kind
of humbug and misrepresentation."
THE ROLL OF HONOR
Tho following named republicans voted
against the Aldrich-Payne-Republican tariff bill:
In the Senate: Bristow of Kansas, Clapp and
Nelson of Minnesota, Cummins and Dolliver of
Iowa, LaFollette of Wisconsin, Beveridge of
Indiana.
In the House: Carey, Lenroot and Nelson of
Wisconsin, Davis, Lindburgh, Miller, Nye,
Steenerson, Stevens and Volstead of Minnesota,
Gronna of North Dakota, Haugen, Hubbard,
Kendall and Woods of Iowa, Keifer of Ohio,
Mann of Illinois, Murdock of Kansas, Poindexter
of Washington, Southwick of New York.
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