The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-11-26

cause of differences of opinion among
Republican leaders, and lack of SYM
pathy with the majority opinion of
his party, in its opposition to revi-
sion, was the cause of Mr.. Hender-
sons resignation.
AS speaker Mr.. Cannon would be able
to help or battle the revisionists.
There will be several changes in the
WAYS and means committee, which
has to initiate tariff measures. Three
new members of this committee are
to be appointed, and if these should
be revisionists the Republicans on
that committee would lack only one
of majority. 1t is probable that the
Representative following the lead of
Mr. Babcock in tariff matters will
contend for the retention of Mr..
Payne, Representative of the State
of New York, as chairman of that
committee.
In connection with this matter of
tariff revision, and Mr.. Cannon's
candidacy for the speakership, it is
recalled that, at an interview in
Washington last summer he is re-
ported as saying: 1.-THE tariff will be
revised sometime, but not at the next
session of Congress, or by the succeed
ing Congress, unless there is check
to the present prosperity. The people
of Illinois, so far as | have been able
to learn, are not anxious for tariff re-
vision. They are anxious to continue
their business affairs without the inter
ruption caused by a long discussion in
Congress as to what changes should
be made. -
Great interest is felt in what the
p resident will say in his message on
the subject of the tariff. At sum
mer conference at Oyster Bay it had
been determined that it would be un-
wise to disturb the extraordinary pros
perity of the country by tampeling
with tariff schedules. AT "a subse-
quent conference of Republican lead
ers it was determined that, if proper
trust legislation could be enacted at
the coming short session, that would
be all that could reasonably be ex-
pected; that a tariff commission could
be created to investigate and re-
port to the fifty-eighth Congress,
and there would then be time
enough to decide if those tariff sched-
ules which would be better if amend
ed were of sufficient Importance to
warrant the attempt. Now, however,
the western members are urging the
President to expedite the work of re-
vision, and Representative Babcock,
the leader of the revisionists, and
others say that an extra session should
be called to deal exclusively with
tai if amendment.
What President Roosevelt will say
gress is probably subject of serious
consideration in his own mind, and
will be finally determined by further
conferences with party leaders.
The Philadelphia North American
champions the cause of Vermont in
the question which arises as to why
the war department should put the
blame of the death of Roman Catho-
lie priest in the Philippines upon YER
mont soldiers. 1t says: The war
department, after ignoring for year
or two the charge that Father Angus
tine, Roman Catholic priest, was
tortured to death in the Philippines
by American soldiers who sought to
force from him revelation of the
hiding place of large sum of money,
has been compelled to admit that the
charge is true-that the priest was
killed by the water cure. The
readiness of the war department at
this time to admit that fact is
accounted for by it's announcement
that the murderers were Vermont vol
unteers, who were mustered out of
service long ago and are now beyond
the reach of military justice. 1t is
up to Vermont to ask the war depart
ment what in the name of all that is
unpatriotic and reasonable it means
by defaming her heros.
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