Editing Payne–Aldrich Tariff Act (section)

==History==

[[Protectionism]] was the ideological cement holding the Republican [[Political alliance|coalition]] together. High [[tariff]]s were used by Republicans to promise higher sales to business, higher wages to industrial workers, and higher demand for farm products.  [[Progressivism|Progressive]] insurgents said it promoted [[monopoly]]. [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]]s said it was a tax on the little man. It had greatest support in the [[Northeastern United States|Northeast]], and greatest opposition in the [[Southern United States|South]] and [[Western United States|West]]. The [[Midwestern United States|Midwest]] was the battle ground.<ref>Howard R. Smith, and [[John Fraser Hart]], "The American tariff map." ''Geographical Review'' 45.3 (1955): 327–346 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/211807 online] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819114049/https://www.jstor.org/stable/211807 |date=2020-08-19 }}.</ref> 

One provision of the Payne Aldrich law provided for the creation of a tariff board to study the problem of tariff modification in full and to collect information on the subject for the use of Congress and the President in future tariff considerations. Another provision allowed for free trade with the [[Philippines]], then under American control. Congress passed the bill officially on April 9, 1909.<ref>{{cite web|title=Congress passes Payne-Aldrich Act|url=http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=5817|work=This Day in History 1909|publisher=[[History (U.S. TV channel)|The History Channel]]|access-date=2008-02-06|archive-date=2008-04-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411024156/http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=5817|url-status=live}}</ref> The bill states it would "take effect the day following its passage."<ref>Sec. 42, 36 Stat. 11 (Pub. Law 61-5). https://govtrackus.s3.amazonaws.com/legislink/pdf/stat/36/STATUTE-36-Pg11b.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025134951/https://govtrackus.s3.amazonaws.com/legislink/pdf/stat/36/STATUTE-36-Pg11b.pdf |date=2019-10-25 }}</ref> President Taft officially signed the bill at 5:05 pm on August 5, 1909.<ref>36 Stat. 11 (Pub. Law 61-5). https://govtrackus.s3.amazonaws.com/legislink/pdf/stat/36/STATUTE-36-Pg11b.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025134951/https://govtrackus.s3.amazonaws.com/legislink/pdf/stat/36/STATUTE-36-Pg11b.pdf |date=2019-10-25 }}</ref>

The Democrats took control of the House in the 1910 election.  President Taft was challenged for reelection in 1912 by former president Theodore Roosevelt for the 1912 Republican nomination. Taft prevailed and Roosevelt and his "progressive" faction formed a new third party. The result was a Democratic landslide making Woodrow Wilson president.  The Democrats sharply lowered the tariff in 1913. <ref>Claude E. Barfield, "'Our Share of the Booty': The Democratic Party Cannonism, and the Payne–Aldrich Tariff." ''Journal of American History'' 57.2 (1970): 308–323 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/1918151 online] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221002643/http://www.jstor.org/stable/1918151 |date=2016-12-21 }}.</ref>