Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-04-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.

yesterday ana expressed some views Oh buo
tariff question which sent the cold shivers
down the backs of the stand patters, espec-
tally those in the House. The Governor
sent word to Secretary Shaw that he wanted
TO talk to him about his wheat draw back
order and the Secretary Immediately found
that he had urgent business in New York
and would not be back until several days
after the Governor was compelled to leaYe
Washington Then the Governor consent
ed to talk to your correspondent on the sub
ject of tariff revision in general. is not
probable that Congress will revise the tariff
until the people demand it in terms so en-
phatic that their determination to have it
cannot be misunderstood said the Cover
nor when asked if he expected revision by
the coming Congress- ssWe must elect a
House of Representatives next year which
is in sympathy with revision, he contin-
ued with emphasis at pre-. eat the House
is with the sta9d patters. LIDO not want to
be understood as critising the sincerity of
it's members, hut it is obvious that the at
mosphere of Washington stimulates the
stand patters and stiles reyisionists 1t is
evident that some of the members ought to
be given an opportunity to breath the
freer air of the country for while" The
Governor said that change in the Repub
lican membership could be easily brought
about s'by nominating men who stand for
the things the people are asking in legis-
lation. If the people want lower duties,
and believe they do'', he said, they will
see to it that their nominees next time are
pledged to make the tariff schedules con-
form to our platform. Competitor, "said
the Governor in conclusion, lis the only
means of keeping prices down. The rea-
sonable application of the protective tariff is
to give the producer in this country duty
equal to the difference in the cost of pro-
ducing the same article abroad. But there
are.many articles upon which the duty is so
much higher that it becomes a factor in
creating a monopoly. The result is that
home manufacturers do not feel the compe-
tition of foreign countries until their prices
are raised to the level of the unfair protec-
tion afforded by the tariff This is indie
fensible"
Governor Cummins is believed to be a
candidate for the Senate to succeed Senator
Deliver whose term expires two years
hence. When asked regarding the allega-
tion he refused to affirm or deny it, but
Senators Allison and Dolliyer have no doubt
as to the Governors intentions. He has
become the beneficiary of recent Supreme
Court decision which has the effect of ex-
tending his term for two years, which will
keep him in Office right up to the time of
the Senatorial contest, although the Allison
organization has hoped to retire him to the
obscurity of private life year in advance
of that event.
Governor Cummins expectation that the
next Congress will pay no heed to Presi-
dent Roosevelt's recommendation that
the tariff be revised agrees entirely with a
statement made recently to your correspon-
dent by Senator Hansburg ''The House is
dominated by oligarchy of stand pattersr,
said the Senator, and he added, 'readjust-
ment is dead' The situation is indeed
peculiar one. There is doubtless a majority
in the Senate including the Democratic
membership, to pass tariff bill providing
for material readjustment, or revision, but
as the Senator says, the House is dominated
by the stand patters Under the Develop
ment of the pernicious Reed rules the House
has lost its character as deiberative body
and must invariably act under the whip
spur of party discipline. The committee
on Rules, which consists of Speaker Can
non and Representatives Payne, Crosvenor,
Dalzell. Williams and Underwood controls
the actions of the House as absolutely as
Ceaser ruled Rome. Cannon, Grosvenor,
and Dalzell are all ardent stand patters and
the Democratic members of the Committee,
being in the minority, are mere ciphers.
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House without permission of the Speaker
or the committee on Rules A member
who desires to make speech must first
consult the Speaker and explain what
he wishes to speak on aud only after such
explanation will the Speaker consent to
recognize him. As the Constitution gives
the House the exclusive power to initiate
revenue bills and as all tariff bills are rev.
enue measures, the Senate is powerless in
the face of opposition by the House
/ The grave mistake made by Governor
Cummins and by Senator Hapsburgh is
their belief that tariff revision can ever be
accomplished by Republican House The
people must elect Democratic majority to
the lower chamber of Congress and until
they do there is little Likelihood Of any tariff
revision, unless it be revision upwards to
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