Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-10-20

congress cannot do. and one of these
things is to enact a revenue measure,
which originates with the executive, is
ratified by the senate, and finally 'ap-
proved by the House of Representa-
tiyes. Article of the Constitution
prescribes a procedure precisely the
reverse of this. 1t requires that all
laws relating TO the revenues shall
originate in the house, be concurred
by the senate and approved by the
president From the foundation of
the Republic up to the present day
this procedure has been followed. No
revenue measure has ever been enact
ed into law that did not originate in
the house of representatives"
Thus this faction of the Republi-
can party takes issue with President
Roosevelt and his faction by declaring
that reciprocity treaty which reduces
the tariff is unconstitutional, because.
''all laws relating to the revenues
must originate in the house of repre-
sentatives.s AS this reciprocity treaty
with Cuba will be the most important
political issue that VIII come before
congress. the position of the Demo
Gratis, who hold the balance of power
between the Republican factions is
significant At the close of the last
congress, after Cuban reciprocity had
been defeated, the Democratic mem
bers held caucus and declared:
Resolved. First: That we condemn
the Republican majority in congress
for their failure to pass a measure
providing reciprocity with Cuba.
The bill which passed the house OF
representatives was heartily supported
by the Democratic minority after the
protection to the sugar trust had been
removed by the Democratic solid
vote, aided by small mi
nority of the Republican mem
bers. AS it passed the house. the
bill carried relief to Cuba, reduced
The price of sugar to American CON
sumers and struck a heavy blow at
the notorious and obnoxious sugar
trust. The refusal of the Republican
senators to consider this measure un-
less the protection to the sugar trust
would be restored. gives evidence that
the president and the Republican
party in congress are willing to re
fuse relief to Cuba and totally ignore
American consumers, rather than
abandon their alliance with the
trusts"
From these declarations It will be
seen that the Democrats favor Cuban
reciprocity, but demand that at the
same time the protection to the sugar
trust of one cent and upwards n
pound on refined sugar, known as
the differential duty, should be aboI-
ished. That proposition was passed
by the house of representatives, the
vote being: yeas, 1879; nays, 1O5; 81
Republicans voting with the Demo
Gratis. (See Congressional Record,
April IS, 1902, page 4,610)
The minority faction of the Republi-
can party thus voting with the Demo
Gratis, making the majority for the
abolition of the protection to the
sugar trust.
The bill then passed the house az
amended; yeas, 247; nays, 81; but the
senate refused to adopt it.
The whole fight will be repeated
when congress meets and 1t will be
interesting to watch the votes of the
Republican members and see how they
line up, for or against the administra-
ton program. The Democrats will
offer the same amendment to abolish
the differential duty on refined sugar.
which gives shelter TO the trusts and
adds at least one cent a pound to all
sugar consumed in this country.