Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-09
Speaker Cannon's Views.

Speaker Cannon contends that revision,
no matter how moderate it is promised to
be, will upset business to certain extent.
He thinks that the republican party after
the promises made in the last campaign in
behalf of prosperity and continued business
stability owes it to the business interests
of the country to have the agony of tariff
revision over as soon as possible and the
new bill on the statute books. The Speaker
contends in talking with his friends that ii
it is given out that the tariff is TO be re-
vised by committee working during the
summer and to be put into effect next fall
or winter business will be unsettled in the
interim. Imports will be checked, he says,
receipts from customs will fall off, the
treasury will not be able to figure on its
resources and there will be general dis
turbance and upset
Senator Aldrich comes back with the re-
ply that it will be much better for the
business interests If the republican party
gets together decides upon a bill and puts
1t through Congress without long debate
or delay. To that Speaker Cannon replies
that it makes little difference on the ques-
ton of delay whether the notice is given
now and the bill put through in November
or whether Congress should sit from March
until November, if necessary, to get it
through. But the Speaker thinks that if
an extra session were called March Il
bill could speedily be framed and enacted.
So there the case stands today, with
division of opinion as to ways and means
between the two most influential men IN
Congress. 1t is quite likely, however, that
these two leaders with their followings can
come to an understanding with the Presi-
dent within week or SO, and a definite
program can be outlined.
The Lineup Saturday.
1t appears that at last Saturdays confer
ence at the White House this difference of
opinion was gone over pretty thoroughly,
but no decision was then reached. When
4 fha D~acS 1.-Two tI1 ~ nf ha
House and Senate whom he had invited to
talk legislation with him it was found that
the score stood somewhat like this:
Amenable to the Presidents revision plan
Senator Aldrich, Senator Spooner, Rep
resentative Tawney.
Opposed to tariff revision-Senator Platt.
Speaker Cannon, Representative Dalzell,
Representative Grosvenor.
On the fence, but inclined to the Presi-
dents sde-Senator Allison, Chairman
Payne.
Some interesting gossip was going the
rounds of the Capitol today about the
is said that the House delegation went to
the White House pretty well imbued with
the ''stand-pat ideas of Speaker Cannon.
The President soon found Mr. Tawney on
man put it today: ''Mr. Payne began to
wobble, and took his place on the fence"
This statesman went on to explain that
no decided opposition was made to revis-
ion, in the sense of men declaring them
selves ready to fight revision. Speaker
Cannon. for example, it is said, while not
agreeing with some of those who spoke
for revision, did not declare war on the
Presidents plan, but rather resigned him
self to what seemed the inevitable.
Senator Aldrich talked very favorably
of revision. Senator Allison admitted there
was sentiment in the west in favor of re-
vision, but it was evident, it is said, that
he made the admission with a sigh of re-
gret at being forced into doing so.
On the House side today the sentiment
was very strong in support of Speaker
Cannon's contention for an early extra
session If tariff revision is inevitable. Mem
bers of the House who keep in touch with
the industrial interests of the country
were almost a unit in the declaration that
1T would be much better for the business
interests if Congress buckled down to the
work of revision right away and got rid of
1t as soon as possible
What It All Means.
From another source it is learned that on
the tariff the President made it plain to the
House and Senate experts on that import
ant question that he will undoubtedly call
Congress in extra session next fall to mod
ify or revise the tariff When he gave up
the idea of an extra session in the spring,
because Congress did not appear to be
ready for it, he did not emphasize his be-
lief that the session would have to be held
later. AS Congress is now nearing the
close of its short session, it was just as
well for the President to obtain the views
Of the leaders as to what ought to be done,
and at the same time give expression to his
own conclusions, so that there would be no
misunderstanding.
While 1t is announced that there will be
further conferences on the tariff and other
subjects, the capitalization of the tariff
ideas of the President and his party will
be arrangements looking to the modfica-
ton of the tariff In an extra session this
fall. The arrangements will include the
| a II hOri tiOY, n 10 Hnnco vva nd
committee to sit after the 4th of March to
prepare bill for submission to the extra
session. This will save time when the extra
much of the preliminary work that pre-
cedes actual consideration of q tariff
measure by the House.
Should there be no railroad legislation
during the present session, that also will
form one of the matters for the extra ses-
sion to pass upon.