The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-11
President Passes Up to
Congress Tariff
Revision.
MATTER OF EXPEDIENG,Y
Speaker Cannon Asks a Sig
nlficant Question Upon
Leaving White House.

There viii be no extra session of Con-
gress to consider the question of tariff
revision on the insistence of the Presi-
dent, but there will be one to consider
the Presidents recommendation that
the Interstate Commerce Commission be
given power to regulate railroad freight
rates when complaint is made that
there has been unjust discrimination
The proba biIity is that this extra ses-
sion will be called in the fall, although
there is possibility that 1t may come in
the spring.
President Roosevelt has passed up the
question of an extra session for the con-
sideration of tariff revision to Congress.
Whatever Congress says will go. The
President takes this position: He will
not try to ram tariff revision and an
extra session down the throat of any
one. He thinks that tariff revision is
not matter of principle, but of expe-
diency. He wishes the views of Con-
gress on this and viii abide the opinion
of the members.
Time For Revision.
One of those present at the conference
between the President and leading
members of the Senate and the House
last Saturday said:
The President said that while he did
not believe in any sweeping revision of
the tariff, and would abide absolutely
by the judgment of the two houses of
Congress in a matter that related SO
particularly to them, yet he did think
that the time had come when the
schedules should be thoroughly exam
r-t.<z \ 4
justment as to certain of them.
THE President added that his own
view was that the special session should
tsska-piaee az, the earliest date by which
the committee OF the two houses could
Scome to an agreement as 10 a bill If
they took this view he said he would
hold himself ready to call the extra
session at whatever time the members
of the two committees and especially
the House Committee on Ways and
Means should inform him they would
be ready with their report
A poll OF Congress is now being taken
on this question. While it has not yet
been completed. there is every reason
to believe that it will show big ma
jority against tariff revision at present
The great industrial States are against
tariff revision. while there Is sentiment
in the Western States for it,
More Unaninlity About Rates.
On the question of the regulation of
freight rates there is more unanimity In
Congress.
Representative Murdock of Kansas
presented TO the President today three
big shippers from Wichita. Kan. On
leaving the White House Mr. Murdock
said:
II believe there will be an extra ses-
sion to consider the question OF freight
Rates. / don't know so much about
tariff revision. Our people in the West
are for it, but the Eastern States may
kill it. I think the extra session viii be
called in the spring Anyway, you car
gress is going to enact some legislation
for the regulation of freight rates
"Uncle Joe's" Question.
First of all, though, came Uncle joe
Cannon. the head and front Of the anti
revfsionists in the House. When Speak.
er Cannon and his cigar came out OF
the White House it was evident that
nothing had been @rammed down the
Congressional gullet
why don't you boys quit dreaming
about this extra session business" he
said Cant you ever exhaust youl
imagination? Quit writing about TIL;
thing. Write something about the deatf
OF the devil. or something like that
On being assured by the newspaper
men that the death of the devil WAS as
yet an unconfirrned runor, the Speaker
admitted himself that sometimes ht
thought he was dead and again HI
thought he was alive. Even so viii
the extra session. But it is generally
believed that this live question has beer
settled as set forth in the foregoing
It is believed that for tariff revision i
is dead. but for the regulation of freigh
rates il IS a pretty live corpse
Majority Against Revision.
Representative Sibley of PennsyI
yania is OF the belief that the poll o
Congr. IS Will show a large majorit.
against tariff revision. Every Repub
lican member in our delegation vote'
against it." he said. The big indus
trial and manufacturing States ar
against it, ! do not think there Is an
necessity of revising the tariff now. an
that opinion seems pretty gerSra
throughout the country. It would sin,
ply mean that the business OF the coun
try would be dist urbed for no necessit.
at all.
pEpcIAM G0UEQMRaENT