The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-06-12
Our Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON. d. C., Jr

w NASnlNblONt ~ S.i Juho IN 1871.
Experienced Legislators, who have been
members of Congress long time and
have had opportunity 10 both observe and
study the history Of legislation, do not
agree with the popular impression that
slow progress is being made with lho
pending tariff bill. On the contrary they
are Unanimous in the opinion that 80
rapid progress has never been made under
such adverse circumstances as attend The
present bill and that indeed seldom, If
ever has II tariff bill moved forward with
the speed which this one has developed.
''lt is not surprising that the people of
the United Stales," said Senator Burrows,
talking OF this subject. 'are anxious to sec
the tariff bill passed and are urging Con.
gress to make whatever speed Is possible.
They thaye suffered SO much from the cf-
feet Of low tariff in the past few years that
impatience with any unnecessary delay
would be entirely justillabe. But If they
were to consider the situation, as we find
1t 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 to 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 blll?"
Conditions are entirely unusual. Ithas
very seldom happened that Congress has
seriously attempted to pass II general
tariff measure when its two branches have
not been In accord and there have been
very fow il any cases when it has succeed
ed in doing so with the party in power in
the White house only controlling one
branch of Congress.
Everybody knows that the Republican,
party is not in control of the Senate, aud
cannot hope to be before March 1889. Tho.
Senate has now Sd members SO that 45 is
required AS umajOriUy, and as the Repub-
lIcan party has but i3 members it is por-
fecily clear that IL does not and cannot
control tho Senate politically. In view of
this fact 1t cannot DO expected that tho
party can conduct legislation in that body
us it would be able to do under other
circumstances
am not Criti tiCising the speed which Is
being made nor would any body be justi-
fled | think in doing so, even if the Re.
pubicans actually controlled both
branches of Congress"
you think hu rate of speed which Is
being made in tho bill then, is at least up
to the averagc?"
"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
has been or Is likely to be occupied on this
one Every year of growth of the country,
growth of imports, growth OF manufact
ures and growth of tho 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 it passed over in the
Senate in II phenomenally brief space of
time, and there is good reason to believe
that it will be passed by the Senate before
the end of the month
So it is probable that the first four 1
months of the new administration will
witness tho completion and final enact.
mvnt Of the tariff law promised in tho
platform framed at st. Louis.
Yes, and what is more it will be the
quickest work which the United States
has ever known since Washington, in this
line. No Congress since the first one ever
fromed and passed a tariff bill within tho
first four months Of its existence as q
Congress, and President Mckinley will bo
the first Executive since Washington
given an opportunity to attach his sigma
turo TO q general tariff measure within
four or even five months Of his Inaugural
ton as President.
Then the progress being made by Con
gress on this bill instead of being proper
subject for criticism beCauso Of slowness,
is just the r9verse?'
Yes. The speed made in framing and
completing the bill, as have already indi-
Gated is much greater than usual, even
when single party controls both branch.
CS OF Congress and when it is considered |
that this is not the case with the present |
Congress, the progress which is now be- |
ing made is matter of general congratu- |
latiun rather than criticism" |
"Do you expect to sec an immediate re- |
viyal OF prosperity, business activity and |
Of manufactures Immediately after tho en-. |
aCtment of the new law" |
Il expect that business men, manufact- |
urerB and Others whose interests are di- |
roCtly affected by the tariff will have an |
intelligent basis upon which to take up |
business threads again.
1t Is not to be expected, Of course that |
people who have years supply Of foreign |
goods in stock will Immediately give large |
orders to manufacturers or that the manu- |
faCturera themselves will be able to resume |
business with the number of men or The |
rates Of wages which will be practblc uf- |
ter the enormous supply Of goods can the
county has been absorbed. Yet it il reAs-
enable to expect that the effect will ho felt !
in Il measurable degree, and that if the I
people recognize tho conditions and enter i
cordially and cheerfully upon the work Of |
getting back to the prosperity which we |
had under protection, tho desired result /
will como.
But it should be remembered that
recovery from four years of enormous i'm
porIation5 Of foreign goods under low
tariff cannot be overcome in day, or q
few days, or ever few months. What
the people want to do now is to lay aside
all doubts rs TO the future and resume
business with energy and confidence.