The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1901-10-17
WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent.
Washington. Oct. -,


Washington, Oct. 1,,1oor.
On Sunday evening last Senator
Thomas c. Platt Of New York ar.
rived IN Washington. He dned at
the White House and spent the even
ing in earnest consultation with the
President. On Monday your cores
pondent called upon him at the Ar.
lingfon Hotel and secured an inter
view. Senator Platt said that per.
fect harmony existed between him
self and President Roosevelt in re.
gard to New York politics and that
the President was heartily in favor of
the election of Mr.. Low and would
lend his influence, in so far as was
proper, to that end. When asked his
opinion as to the extent to which
tarlif revision would be gone into at
the next Session he protested that he
was too much occupied with the New
York campaign at this time to have
an opinion on the subject When his
attention was called to the statement
of Representative Serene T.. PAYNE,
of New York and chairman of the
House Committee on WAYS and
Means, Senator Platt remarked very
naively "that tariff revision would
mean a great deal Of work for Mr..
Payne
AS may be imagined from the fore
going, Senator Platt was not in very
communicative frame of mind but he
seldom is. He has the reputation of
being one of the most taciturn of
politicians even when undergoing the
most adrolt questioning. The Sena-
tor expressed surprise at the impres.
sion that had gotten abroad that
Collector George r. Whitehead of
Porto Rlco was to succeed Appraiser
Wakeman and shade of professional
Jealousy passed over his face when he
was told that Secretary Gage had
recommended Mr.. Wakeman for the
place. "Secretary Gage is not a New
York Republican but the President
Is he said "and the President
knows what New York Republicans
are entitled to recognition 81 am
sure Secretary Gage has never recon-
mended Mr.. Whitehead's selection to
me-"
The statemen: of Representative
Payne above referred to is in part as
follows: "Any law which goes from
tire House to the Senate is open to
the fullest amendment and discussion
OF every item in the tariff schedules.
That this would result in great un-
easlness in business affairs, a loss of
confidence and secondly large tenn
porary loss at least to the people of
the country cannot be disputed. The
tariff question should not be opened
unless tor the most imperative reasons
and only when the benefits would out
weigh the temporary embarrassments
and loss resulting from it. We are
running along prosperously now with
the present tariff law"
The truth of the matter is that Mr..
Payne is afraid to open the question.
The people of the country and part-
cularly OF the Northwest are demand
ing reduction of the tariff rates.
This demand is not confined to the
Democrats but is heard on all sides.
The action of Representative Bah.
cock in introducing his reduction bill
last year was an evidence cf the grow
ing spirit When seen few evenings
ago at the Raleigh, Mr.. Babcock in
formed your correspondent that he
was going to push his bill this session
because the people demanded it. HIS
constituents want it. Mr.. Babcock is
very much in the same position as
was w. r. Merriam, now Director of
the Census, when he was running for
governor of Minnesota. Mr. Merriam
was talking tariff reform and the
chairman of the Democratic Republ-
can national committee called him to
task for 1t. "The people want it "
was Mr.. MerrIam's reply" and unless
| talk tariff reform l won't be elect
ed" He continued to talk it and he
was elected.
How many representatives will
come to Washington on the first of
December with the knowledge that
their future political life is dependent
on their voting for a revision of the
tariff 1t is impossible to predict but
there is reason to believe that there
will be enough to insure its being
Beware of 0intmeuts for Oatarrh that Con-
tain Mercury