Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1901-02-28
CHAMP CLARK 5 LETTER
Republican Bellwether to
the Rescue.
BABCoCK LEADS TRUST WAR
Enters Into the Vineyard at the
Eleventh Hour.
BABCOGK LEADS TRUST WAR
WOULD PUT STEEL ON FREE LIST.

WOULD PUT STEEL ON FREE LIST.
Remarkable Change of Opinion Since
Last Summer-Tardy Reformer's
Sincerity In Doubt Democrats
Doses-Babcock Was Mute When He
Might Have Done Good-Gage Pre-
cipitates a Tariff War-A Sample of
Republican LOgic--A Billion a Year.
Especial Washington letter.
Babcock to the rescue-Hon. Joseph
Weeks Babcock of Necedah. Wis, Re-
publican bellwether, chairman of the
house committee on the District of Co
lumbia and chairman of the Republic
an congressional campaign committee!
The Hon. Joseph has just opened up a
war-a redhot war-on trusts by intro
ducing a bill to put certain articles of
steel and iron OH the free list in order
to ''circumwent'' the steel trust, as the
elder Weller would have put it. Broth
er Rabcock is rather late. He is an
eleventh hour conner into the vineyard.
But better late than never. Still one
may not be considered guilty of leze
majesty if it be inquired how putting
articles on the free list in February
happens to be patriotic performance
when it was denounced as idliocy and
treason last summer and before that.
l do not say absolutely that | origi-
mated the idea of free listing articles
as means of breaking down the trusts,
but | do say that as early as May, 1890.
at the great antitrust banquet held in
st. Louis l did propose two remedies
for the trusts. one of which was "to
place every article made. used. handled
and sold by trust absolutely on the
free list" l repeated the same idea in
an article on trusts in the magazine
Success in June. 1900 For that speech
and that article / was denounced as an
idiot and traitor by all the protection
organs which noticed them at all. Now
comes Mr.. Babcock and poses as pio-
neer reformer by proposing a fragl2ent
of that plan, confining his reform to
certain articles of steel and IRON I
am not complaining. | am rejoicing,
or, rather. | would rejoice if the cir
cumstances warranted the conclusion
that Mr.. Babcock means business in
his small crusade. But will ne please
inform an eager and startled world
how he fiitppgesStf to lsifsS Sre4se
dial legislation to such a late date that
he must know it has no sort Of chance
to become a law? His explanation, if
full, categorical and complete. would
make what Horace Greeley called
mighty rich reading"
Another question: When in January,
1900, undertook to stranglc a giant
trust by introducing bill ''to place
wood pulp, white print paper and all
the ingredients used in making the
same on the free list, why did not
Brother Babcock come to my aid and
assistance?
When Babcock Was Silcat.
Still another query: When Hon. James
D. Richardson, Democratic leader of
the house, offered a latch Of similar
bills, including the very items named
by Rabcock. why was the latter silent
as the voceless grave?
These things happened at the long
session. when we had plenty Of time,
or as Uncle joe Cannon would say,
time to throw at the birds Every
Democrat, Populist and free silveritc
was for my bill and for Richardson's
bills. 1t only required seven Republic
ans voting with us to carry them. If
Mr.. Babcock had the same opinion
then that lie trumpets forth now, when
he knows beyond peradventure that
his bill will sleep in committee till this
congress dies ON the 18th of March, if
he has not seen a brand rev light. as
did Saul of Tarsus on celebrated
journey from Jerusalem down to Da-
mascus. why did he not come to our
rescue then. when it would have avail
ed something? He is not seven Re
publicans. it is true. but he is one, and
big one at that He coUld probably
have found six other righteous men in
the Republican Sodom. But Rrother
Bah held his peace.
A Plan Suggested.
If he means business and is not mere
ly a poseur. here is a plan which will
work like IL charm
He is a member of the committee on
ways and means. having his bill in
charge. Every Democrat on t,iat COM
mittee will cheerfully vote to report
his bill favorably 1t only requires two
Republican votes in that committee to
secure a favorable report, a consumma-
ton devoutly to be wished. If Mr..
Babcock cannot get his own vote and
one more, it is persuasive evidence at
least that his bill is a fake and is only
intended as bait to catch gudgcons.
If he can get favorable report on
his bill from the ways and means COM
mittee, it at once becomes a privileged
matter, which he can call up at any
time, whether the committee On rules
so desires or not.
Clearly this is Br'er Bahcock's golden
opportunity, for in the rcyt congress
tlt lAtDubiiSaA HldJoiita II ast'.-i ~,
which will render any reform measure
on any subject under heaven difficult
of passage.
Now, | would not misrepresent AIR.
Rabcock, so | will let him speak for
himself He understands the English
language fairly well. He never slops
over Consequently what he says in
carefully prepared interview may be
taken as his sentiments. He says:
1t is certainly wisdom on the part of congress to
afford such relief it is able 10 do by the repeal
of tariff laws affecting schedules where monster
organizations have been organized to regulate
competition--schedules which practically produce
but little revenue. but which sufficiently high
to prevent tine importation of foreign material
manufactures
do not claim that my bill is perfect, but that
the principle involved is. There may be addi-
tional sections, such as iron ore and tin, that
should be repealed, and possibly there may be
certain classes of material that should remain on
the dutiable list that included, but if there
be any of this kind they will be very small per-
eentage of the whole
hope to get early consideration Of this meas
ure at the next session OF congress, and believe
public sentiment will demand prompt action by
congress.
In the statement, Il believe public
sentiment will demand prompt action
by congress, may be found the reason
for Brother Babcock's sudden conver-
sion to Democratic ideas.
But he does not stand alone. as did