Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-02-28
IT IS RETROGRESSION
THAT HAS MADE THE HOUSE A
MERE MACHINE

SPCONSi q SLot IQudi " NCCu-
Senate Ratifies the West india Treaty with
Rush-Senate Passes Permanent Census Blu.
reau BiIl-"OIeo' Has Another WhirI-The
Tariff on Steel-The Bureaucratic Schley De.
cision Of the President Will Not Exercise the
Spirit Of Unrest.
(From our regular correspondent
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 1902.
That the House of Representatives
has ceased to be deliberative body
and has degenerated into uere ma
chine doing the bidding of a small
number of men, by courtesy called
leaders but actually dictators, has
been appreciated for a number of
years by those in close touch with its
workings, but never in its history
have the high-handed and tyrannical
methods adopted by the present
Speaker and his colleagues to secure
the passage of the war revenue repeal
bill been equalled or even approached.
The proceedings last Monday were .
source of humiliation to every men,
Der of the House possessed of suffici-
ent intelligence to comprehend their
meaning.
Approaching that large contin-
gent of their own party, and conse-
quently of the Republican members,
were urgent in their demands for tariff
reform and would seize the opportun-
ity to amend the measure framed by
the Ways and Means Committee, ap.
preciating their own inability as lead.
ers and intent on securing their own
ends and protecting the vested inter.
ests whose money has long perpetu-
ated Republican rule, the leaders an
ticipated the introduction OF the reve-
nue. reduction bill by proposing for
adoption rule which not only limited
the debate on q measure calculated to
reduce the revenues of the govern
ment by $75,OO0,O00 per annum but
positively prohibited the amending OF
the same in any manner. Mr.. Rich.
ardson, the Democratic leader, pro-
tested and appealed to the rulings OF
Speaker Reed, but to no avail. Mr..
Henderson repudiated all known au-
thorities and declared himself su-
preme. On An appeal from the chair
the rulings of the Speaker were sus-
tanned by q strict party vote. Mr..
Richardson, approaching the futility
of appeals to logic and patriotism and
realizing the powerlessness OF the mi.
nority, requested An immediate vote
and the measure carried without one
minutes discussion OF its provisions,
one moments elaboration, and q
precedent had been established of the
gravest portent to the future OF the
nation.
|, simultaneously with the above &C.
ton of the house, the Senate was es-
tablishing another precedent which
portends no good to this country.
The last named body, ON Monday, rat
lied the treaty by which the United
States purchases the Danish West In
dies, and in 30 doing the argument
was advanced on the floor OF the Sen.
ate that because the Monroe doctrine
precludes the requirement OF addition.
al territory on this hemisphere, and
these islands were for sale, the United
States must purchase them. Would
the same argument apply to Hayti,
for instance, and to all the possessions
Of European countries in South Amer.
icaf When European governmental
have extracted. by means of missov-
eminent, etc.. all the wealth of these
countries and desire TO be rid of the
wrecks will the United States have to
purchase themi This is not party
question for the vote was practically
unanimous for the ratification of the
treaty. but it 10 . serious question.
Since the passage of the revenue
bill the House has accomplished no
important legislation. The Senate
has passed the bill providing for .
permanent census bureau and has
fixed upon next Monday for final de.
bate and vote on the Philippine reve.
nue. bill. The Senate Committee on
Agriculture is considering the oleo-
margarine bill and the indications are
that it will pass. 1t 10 quite probable
that the committee will eliminate the
clause relating 70 renovated butter
for. - Senator from Iowa pointed
out yesterday when ! asked him OF the
likelihood Of the bills passing the
Senate, Congress has no authority TO
legislate in regard to the manufacture
of any food product unless it is on the
ground that il 10 for the purpose OF
missing revenue and there is no tax
placed on renovated butter BY the
present measure. Moreover the bill
fails 10 define renovated butter and il
will be . question ~ to what it reno
waited and what 10 not.
Representative Babcock, OF Wiscon.
sin, assured me yesterday that he had
not given up the idea of getting his
bill to reduce the tariff on steel before
the House and concluded the CONVEX
sation with these words: "You mark
my words, I will get that bill before
the House Of Representatives before
this session closes. There are no ifs
nor ands' about il; will" Speak.
ing OF the details OF the bill Mr.. Bah
cock said, "The continuance OF the
present steel schedule 10 ubiquitous.
There IL absolutely no excuse for il.
They say that I would reduce the
profits of the steel trust 1t the expense
Of the little fellows That 10 sheer
nonsense. Who are the little fellowsf
Jones & Laughlin with . capital Of
go, O00. 900 and three mills owned by
the Pennsylvania Railroad. The
three mills owned by tho Pennsylva-
mia make $4,000 tons of steel year.
moro than tho entire output Of the
mills of Great Britain. The Jones &
Laugblin Company ct q profit of 81
per ton on steel can pay dividends OF
five per cent. The steel trust, during
the first niue months OF its existence
made profit Of $l4 per ton. If its
dividends are not large enough to suit
the stockholders they should squeeze
the water out OF their stock. As q
protection to labor, the tariff on steel
amounts to nothing. Practically the