The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-01-23
WASHINGTON VIEWS
How Nm. z. Kearst shcses u he
Ceai Gon1int.
Champ Clark Demonstrates the Pcssi-
biiity Of EIectiRs a Democrat
President.

The Congress of the United States
has been agitated this week by the
coal question. 1t has been coal. coal.
coal in both the Houseand the Senate
and the agitation of the question l.as
shown up the false preteiisc and
hypocrisy of the republican party and
the sincerity of the democrats in their
endeavors to do something in the in
terest OF the people who are freezing
to death all over the north while the
anthracite coal barons are showing up
the price and reaping the harvest of
dollars. The agitation has resulted
In the elimination of the tariff of 81
cents a ton on anthracite coal. which
the republicans said, at the beginning
OF this session, should not be touched.
AS have previously said in this cor
respondence. nothing would ever be
done by the republicans in the way
OF tariff revision or reduction until
the demand by the people became so
loud that all might hear. and this
prediction has been verified by the
results OF this agitation on the coal
question. Early in this session a
democrat. Mr.. Cochran, of Missouri.
went to the chairman of the Commit
tee on Ways and Means and asked
him il he would give him a hearing
1or an argument on such a bill as has
just passed Congress, that is. the
repeal of tue tariff on anthracite coal
provided he would bring him a petit
ton from a majority of the members
OF the House, regardless of politics.
and he was met with the answer that
ne would better bring with him a COPY
OF the Lords prayer. In other words
he was turned down fat and cold and
40 Juggling of words and no appeals
from a democratic source would bulge
the republican chairman who had
charge OF the fate of the freezing
people. Then the Senate, through
senator Vest of Missouri. took upthe
matter and was pressing it home to
the republicans in such a name
that the champion of the protected
interests in the Senate. Mr.. Aldrjch
of Rhode Island, saw that something
mad to be done or he would lose con-
troll OF his republican cohorts in the
Senate and give the democrats some
good campaign material by allowing
a democratic measure for the relief of
the people to go through the Senate
Which the House could not afford tn
turn down. He asked for time and
sad that there would be Something
DOING in this regard from a republi-
can quarter and argued that all meas
ures affecting the revenues of the
government should originate in the
House. Sure enough the Senate.
playing the game of politics while
people freeze, refused to consider the
Vest measure and allowed the House
on Ways and Means to
bring in a bill taking the tariff off of
coal for the period of one year. thus
making, ostensibly, a great show of
interest for the welfare of the people.
Ihe Dill passed the House by a practi-
,ally unanimous vote. every democrat
IN the House voting for it and the
only six votes against the measure
from hide bound protectionist
republicans. The bill was immedi-
ately rushed to the Senate and thereit
net a snag, as the republicans had
oecoined alarmed and when it came
up 1t was amended so that the tariff
anthracite coal alone was COM
oletely eliminated without reference
% Time. TO the a~StoniShment and
'hagrln of the ultra protectionists
Ike Aldrich. 1t was rnshed back tol
ne House and the Senate amendments
vas concurred in amid the cheers and
GERS of the democrats. They had
compelled the republicans to swallow
dose o. good democratic doctrine by
hooking one hole in the protectiye
arm wall and they had a yell comingj
Q them. This is the beginning OF
end. The people have compelled
his concession from the tariff barons
1t mas been wrung from them by
emocratic contention and when the
eople start on the democratic road
nee they will rot stop until they
ave gone farther than this. MarkI1
prediction. !,
Another phase of this coal business I
Ids Gee the exposition of the fake /,
on the part Of this admins ;
ration to deal with the trust oues- ,
ION. Loud and long were the prom ,
ses made by the President of the :
,n!ted States in the campaign last, )
all that the trusts must be controlled :
I'D must obey the law of the land. :
low have those promises been kents :
sltli the exception O. a couple of :
lutfs made at the beef trust.hy The