The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-06-19
DON'T COMPLAIN.
The New Administration Is Doing
It's Full Duty.
Substance of a Frank Talk with
senator Burrows-other In
teresting Washington
Gossip.

who have been members of congress a
long time, and have had opportunity 10
both observe and study the history of
legislation, do not agree with popular
impression that slow progress is be-
ing made with the pending tariff bill.
On the contrary, they are unanimous
in the opinion that SO rapid progress
has never been made under such adverse
circumstances as attend the present bill,
and that indeed seldom, IL ever, has a
tariff bill moved forward with the speed
which this one has developed.
1T is not surprising that the people
of the United States" said Senator
Burrows. talking OF this subject, "are
anxious 10 see the tariff bill passed, and
are urging congress TO make whatever
speed is possible. They have suffered
so much from the effects of low tariff
in the past few years that impatience
with any unnecessary delay would be
entirely justifable. But II they were TO
consider the situation, as we find IL
here, they certainly would not think
that progress is slow, or that there has
been any unnecessary delay"
"Do you mean that the situation here
Is such as 10 make the progress upon the
tariff bill unusually slow, or that con-
gress is actually making the usual speed
In the consideration OF the tariff bill?'
Conditions are entirely unusual IL
has very seldom happened that congress
has seriously attempted TO pass gener-
al tariff measure when its two branches
have not been in accord, and there have
been very few fanny cases when il has sue
ceedcd in doing so with the. party in
power in the white house only controll-
ing one branch OF congress. Everybody
knows that the republican party is not
in control of the senate, and cannot
hope to be before March, 1899. The sem
ate has now 50 members, SO that As is
required as a majority, and as the re-
publican party has but 43 members, ii is
perfectly clear that IL docs not and can
not control the senate politically. In
view OF this fact, il cannot be expected
that the party can conduct legislation
In that body as il would be able to do un-
der other circumstances. / am not crit
icising the speed which is being made.
nor would anybody be justified think
in doing so, even II the republicans
actually controlled both branches of
congress-"
"You think the rate Of speed which Is
being made in the bill, then, is at least
up to the average?"
"Much more than that. The present
generation of congressman of either
branch of that body never saw tariff
bill framed considered and passed in
anything like the brief space of time
which has been or is likely TO be occu-
pied on this one. Every year of growth
of the country, growth of imports,
growth of manufactures and growth of
the various interests involved adds to
the complications in the framing of
new tariff law. Yet this one has been
framed, passed by the house and half of
IL passed over in the senate in phenom-
enally brief space OF time, and there is
good reason TO believe that it will be
passed by the senate before the end of
tbs month"
"So that IL is probable that the first
four months of the new administration
will witness the completion and final
enactment Of the tariff law promised
I'm the platform framed at st. LouisT'
eyes. And what is more, II will be
the quickest work which the United
States has ever known since Washing
ton, in this line. No congress since the
first one ever framed and passed n
tariff bill within the first four months
of it's existence as a congress- and Pres
ident Mckinley will be the first execu-
tive since Washington given an oppor-
tunity 10 attach his signature TO gem
eral tariff measure within four or even
Ave months of his Inauguration rs prcsi-
dent"
"Thcn the progress being made by
congress on this bill instead Of being n
proper subject for criticism because OF
slowness, is just the reverseF"
"Yes. The speed made in framing md
completing the bill, as have already in
dicatcd, Is much greater than usual,
even when single party controls both
branches OF congress and when IL is
considered that this is not the case
with the present congress, the progress
which is now being made is matter
for general congra.ulation rather than
NAlAA'iohs
"Do you expect TO see an immediate
revival OF prosperity, business activity
and of manufactures Immediately after
the enactment OF the new law?"
81 expect that business men. manu-
facturers and others whose interests
are directly or indirectly affected by the
tariff will have an intelligent basis upon
which TO take up business threads
again. IL is not to he expected, OF
course, that people who have n years
supply OF foreign goods In stock will
Immediately give large orders TO man
ufacturcrs or that the manufacturers
themselves will be able TO resume bust
ness with the number of men or the
rates OF wages which will be practicable
after the enormous supply OF goods In
the country has been absorbed. Yet IL
is reasonable TO expect that the effect
ill ~. foIf L., r..no o.tvn I,lo Iaorrnn al