The Washington times., 1905-12-03
WILLIAMS HINTS
At TARIFF FIGHT
Rate Legislation Settled,
War Will Begin.
BACKING COMMISSIONS BILL
Democrats Will Support President
Against Railroads, But Antagcnize
Majority on Old Issue.

John Sharp Williams. again chosen to
lead the Democratic minority IN the
House. believes the railroad rate ques-
ZION Us after all but temporary issue.
and that ts~in is ne great. basic. per
manent question, the issue on which
the parties will divide.
He believes the Democrats sho-ssa
join with Republicans in passing tha
right kind Of rate legfylation: and. thsa
Out OF the way. that they should bend
their energies 70 force the tariff upon
the attention OF the country
This was the substance of a statement
dictated by Mr.. Williams for The Times
after the Democratic caucus had re-
elected him House leader.
Mr.. Williams said: Even II II is tr-is
that the Democratic party could make
no political capital by advocating rafl-
way rate regulation and giving to the
Interstate Commerce Commission the
power TO prescribe q new rate in lieu
of an existing one that has been found
TO be unjust or discr1minatory. that
would be no reason why Democrats
should not advocate the legislation. To
confess that we would -=rouse no just
cause in the interest OF equality OF
treatment by the common carriers. be-
cause we could find no party advantage
In it. would and ought TO damn Us
Will Help Rate Control.
1T is not true. however. that it in
not to the interest OF the Democratic
party 10 enact the proposed legislation.
Tne party that serves the country well
serves itself best, even though Its mo-
tive may not be self-service Then.
again, all Democracy Is founded on ths
IDEA of special privileges to none and
equal rights TO all. and the more that
idea is enacted into regislation. the
stronger becomes Democracy. in the
very nature Of things. and the weaker
become those special and plutocratic in
terests which war against il.
The rate regulation is one temporary
in Its demands; the tariff is an abiding
question. and viii be discussed and
agitated for thousand years unless il
is sooner settled right.
Periodical agitation OF the tariff. 10
the disturbance OF business OF which
so many stand-patters complain. win
continue until business Interests are
divorced from legislative commlstes
rooms. and until 4 real Democratic
tariff. like the Walker tariff. for IN
stance. shall become law After that.
SELF to il, the tarin will cease TO be a
question OF 1liticaI agitation.
1T will become a fixed factor. a reve-
nue. measure like any other revenue
measure. and would be disturbed only
for the purpose of increasing or decreas-
ing the revenue Indeed. not even then.
because other features OF our taxation
system could be raised or lowered with
a more nearly ascertained certainty OF
results in dollars and cents.
When Tariff Was Quiet.
The revenue tariff of 1876. the Walker
tariff. had ceased to be a subject OF
discussion. Even the Wings were salts
fec with it, as Mr. Blaine admitted
in his Twenty Years OF Congress- and
they would have remained in that status
but for the war and the immense revo-
lutions OF a fiscal character made neees-
sary bY il.
Once get rid OF the idea that private
business has the right te influence Iegfs-
lative bodies for the purpose OF molding
so as TO make them pros
porous or more prosperous. and YOU
have rid yourself OF three-quarters OF
the temptations 10 graft
--If business would let government
alone, government would interfere less
with business"