West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1904-12-22
OUR Washington LETTER.
The Republican Leaders Standing Pat
On the Tariff.
Roosevelt FOrgets About Being n Free
Trader and "A Member or the Golden
Club.
From our regular correspondent

from our regular correspondent
WASHINGTON DC. Dec. 10 1904
1t Is now quite certain that the
tariff revision will get the temporary
and perhaps the permanent go.by.
There will be no extra session in
the spring; it is every day more and
more doubtful if there will be one
in the fall. Hale in the East and
Cannon and Fairbanks in the West
are employing all the influence and
all the arts they possess in favor Of
"stsnd pat" decision. and the
President is stoutly behind them.
He probably forgets the time when
he was a strenuous free trader, and
an active member Of Golden Club.
He no doubt whispers times
change, and we modify ourselves
accordingly. Are they unreason.
able in assuming that the late elect
ion with its astounding majorlties
was n proclamation from the Ameri-
can people that q tariff cannot very
we'll be too high for them7 If,
they argue, the country wanted a
revision and reduction Of the tariff,
would the people have gone into a
fury and overthrown every candl-
date outside of Tammany and Dixie
who advo Gated free trade or tariff
for revenue only2 1t they take the
bits in their teeth, and run away
with the cOntraption, will there be
anybody to blame except The severe
igns who are supposed to be op
guard at the ballot box2
interviewed Congressman Coop
er yesterday. However, as there
are three of him, a duplication from
Wisconsin, Texas, and Pennsyl-
vani, 1t is necessary to explain it
was the latter whom l encountered
IN the lobby-Allen F. Cooper, Of
Uniontown, a suburb of Pittsburg,
"No sir! he said emphatically awe
don't want any extra session, or any
tariff revision. The Pennsylvania
delegation is unanimous on the
subject"
"You all think" 1 asked Chat
our present tariff scheduled is a per-
feet thing2"
owe are not entirely sure of that
he answered, "but we are sure that
its imperfections are trivial, and
that any attempt to correct them
now, even by the friends of Pro-
lection, would do a great deal more
harm than good. 1t would rim
open the whole thing; it would
precipitate hot discussion of the
fundamental principles; it would
encourage free traders and let loose
their Timber tongues; it would ter
rlty manufacturers and alarm their
employees in every state. No; Just
you say that Pennsylvania won't
have a panic if it can help it. And
If this isn't what the election meat.
what on earth did it mean2
Leaving the question unanswered,
1 called on the Postmaster G en- eral
with whom for many years l had
newspaper mans acquaintance.
lie had an immediate appointment
at Cabinet meeting and referred me
to General Shallenberger, the Sec
ond Assistant, for an answer to my
questions. He said "Our parcels
post With Germany, Norway, Japan
and HongKong seems to work adj
vantageously 10 all concerned, and
il will doubtless be extended.
The service increased fifty per cent
last year. The value of a parcel
thus sent abroad is restricted to $50
and It's weight to four pounds, six
ounces. In our own lcountry We
recommend this year, as we did
last, that packages not exceeding
1--WE pounds each shall be sent for
three cents per pound TO a person
on the sanl rouie. We also urge
that third and fourth class mail
matter be consolidated at the third
class ratc-one cent for each tive
ounce
Replying TO my futher question
why ,he department did not urge
on Congress general parcels post,
SO hat packages Of all kinds could
be sent by mail instead Of by ex.
press, the General said 1--WE could
not afford g. The postal service
would be swamped The reason
why Germany affords it is that
Germany controls the railway syst
en- and supresses all express comp
any competition. In order to do
the same thing here we should have
to organize a mail wagon service
on all 'be free delivery routes. II
any Of our miiiionaires think il
would pay let them organize such
an express comnanR. and see II ihev