West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-07-13
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
The Stand PatterS" Propose 10 Help
Keep the Protected Hogs With
Their Feet in Trough. "
A PROPOSITION TO TAX BEER
AT ONE DOLLAR PER BARREL.
Another Bond Issue Of Ono Hun.
drod Thirty Million Dollars to
Build the Panama Canal.
From Our Regular Correspondent

From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, ID, G., July 3 1905
Certain prominent stand patter.
who have recently visited Washing
ton have spread the report that the
brewers of the country will be call.
ed upon by the next Congress tc
make good the constantly growing
deficit in the governments finances
and to provide for such increased
expenses of the federal institution
as are inevitable with each years
growth of the country. 1t is de
clared that under no circumstances
will the stand patters permit any
change in the existing tariff sche
dulles which could not be so altered
as to produce an increased revenue
without curtailing in some slight de-
gree the profits of those manufac,
turers whom the President has de.
scribed as protected hogs with
their feet in the trough" That
something must be done TO increase
the revenues is, however obvious
to even the most obtuse observers
Of the Federal finances, with the
sole exception Of Secretary Shaw,
and IL is believed that this can be
done by materially increasing the
tax on beer.
Those who advocate an increased
tax on beer as practical substi-
tute for that revision which the Pre-
sident has declared 10 be essential
to square deal to every man." be.
lieve they can enlist the sympathy
OF the temperance people of the
country who, will, they expect, wei.
come any increase of taxation on
drink, regardless of the purpose
which is back of such increase. 1t
is pointed out that there are now
sold each year As, 900, 900 barrels
OF beer and that an increased tax OF
81 per barrel would net The govern
ment as many dollars. The Presi-
dent will, it is believed press rail
road rate legislation at the next ses.
sion OF Congress in preference to
all other needed reforms and that
will afford the stand patters an op-
portunity to escape any determined
onslaught on their position. The
opposition to railroad rate legisla-
ton is certain to be bitter and the
details of the fight will it is hoped,
crowd the columns OF the press TO
the exclusion OF all other issues, so
that the necessity of tariff revision
will be temporarily lost sight Of.
Then there will follow short ses
sion OF Congress which, the Repub-
lican leaders claim, it IS impossible
to change the protected hogs will
be insured at least two years more
Of undisturbed monopoly.
With this situation in Congress il
is claimed that as the session draws
to close il can be suddenly dis
covered that no provision for re-
medying the deficit or augumenting
the revenues has been adopted and
It will be comparatively little trou-
bic to rush through a bill increasing
the tax on beer and so the impera-
tive necessity Of decreasing the tar
1T rates will be evaded. ltis in
sisted this beer tax bill will, il neces-
sary, be deferred until the approach
Of hot season next summer. The
Treasury has an ample surplus.
The expenses OF the Panama canal
are TO be betrayed by the sale OF
Sf3o, 600, 900 Of per cent bonds
and no dangerous Giminut.on of
the treasury surplus will be expert
enced before the close OF the next
fiscal year. II is invariably the
case that with the first warm days
OF spring Congress always yearns,
70 get away. Disciples Of Isaac
Walton gather their friends in the
cloak rooms Of Senate and House
and there relate tales Of trout and
tarpon which sets on frc the sport
ing blood OF most OF The distIngi ish
ed solons Then there comes
really hot spell and like hord Of
weary school boys, the grave states
men OF the National legislature be-
come almost desperate in their dc
sire TO begin their summer vacations.
IL is at such times as these that
much OF the most pernicious legis-
lation is permitted 10 slip through
unobserycd and the mere warning
that objection will provoke debate
and delay adjournment proves a
potent argument with many Of the
men most prone 20 fight improper
measures earlier ia the session. AT
such time, according TO the plans
OF the stand patter, bill providing
for the increased beer tax will be
introduced and rushed through the
House and il is believed that il will
not encounter severe opposition IN
the Senate.
There is just one hope Of those
who would compel the protected in
dustries to sacrifice a small precent.
age Of their profits in the interests
of the great mass Of people whose
incomes have not increased a dollar
week while their expenses have
even doubled. That hope rests in
the Democrats OF the Senate. For.
tunately there is no "gag rule''
in the Senate. The revenue bill
can be amended 10 change the tariff