Sereno Elisha Payne

Payne, Sereno Elisha (sərē'nō), 1843-1914, American legislator, b. Hamilton, N.Y. He was admitted to the bar (1866), practiced at Auburn, N.Y., and was active in Republican politics. He served (1883-87, 1889-1914) in Congress and was long a member of the Committee on Ways and Means, becoming chairman in 1899. Payne, a staunch though not extreme protectionist, was active in fostering Republican tariff legislation. He helped draft the McKinley Tariff Act (1890), the Dingley Act (1897), and the Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act (1909).