Sunday Washington globe., 1902-03-23
Revision Of the TariT.

1t is commendable at times to expedite
public business. It is quite as commend
able to deliberate; and it is a duty always in
Legislation to expedite only within rules of
common deceucY and fairness. Is public
business in the House of Representatives
conducted upon rules Of fairness2
It is we'll known that the Dingley bill,
faulty when made law, full of glaring in
equalities, is now in need Of revision.
There is demand for il, and there is de-
mand on the part of Republicans that there
shall be revision.
But there will be none at the present ses-
sion, or ever, if the House of Representa-
tives remains as now constituted. 1t is a
repetition to say So but the lower branch of
Congress is no longer a deliberative body
and no longer representative body-unless,
indeed, three men represent the whole. It is
simply band of men drawn together ard
ruled by tyrannical trio. The majority of
the Committee on Rules determine what
measures shall be debated, when amend
ments shall be made and when amendments
shall be withheld The Iron Hand" has
entered into and taken possession Of what
was once intended to be the peoples pop
pular branch Of lawmakers.
There never was more outrageous and
glaring exhibition of tyranny than the rule
adopted when the bill repeating the war
taxes was passed. No opportunity for
amendment, and in a measure involving
millions, and one which aFected many in
terests a beggarly limit allowed for debate.
Amendments might have been offered, and
if voted upon have been incorporated into
the bill which would have given relief; but
the three men who made the rules said
NO the bill as reported or nothing And
Republicans, even these who knew It was
piece of piratical outrage, and who had
promised themselves and their constituents
that they would demand revision SUI
pinely submitted to the rule and meekly
bowed their necks and allowed the yoke to
be more firmly fitted on them. At a later
day they would perform wonders, like King
Agrippa, at a more convenient season. they
would = owe to revise but as with the King
who listened to Paul, "a more convenient
oNeoSh Maa MNF NAAAANf aAA Will uDA NALE
during the existence of the Fifty.seventh
Congress.
It is true Dalzell talked Of a rule made
when the Wilson bill was finally passed
when six hundred amendments or more had
been made and no time allowed for debate
as a Justification. If lis just as the Pittsbrug
member stated II would have been no JUS
thcation and the most pitiful plea that can
be made in defence Of a wrong to be per-
petrated is that somebody else has under
similar circumstances done the same thing
But the Wilson bill had been debated for
weeks and amendments had been allowed
and made and were understood In the
/ present instance not an amendment was al
lowed. But as we have said # the Wilson
bill had become a law under circumstances
OF peculiar enormity IL was all the more in
cumbent on the Committee on Rules 10 see
that the enormity was not repeated-to give
the people show. It would have tended
TO convince fair minded men that Republi-
cans could do what they claimed for them
selves, what was honorable and just.
Instead they have chosen the Iron Hand'
and glory in IT, The Diugley bill is sacred
and must not be touched, and members Of