Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-01-12
Extra Session for the
Revision Of the Tariff.
President in Favor, but Re-
publican Senators Opposed.
Defence in Smoot Case-House and
Senate Proceedings.

member of the WAYS ard means COM
mittee of the House said 20 The Assoc
clated Press, today. that the canVaSs
which the leaders had conducted of the
t"nubllcan members on the question
of tariff revision showed that 90 per
cent of the members who had been ;,p-
proac! ed Were against revision.
All Of the leaders of the House except
Representatives Payne, chairman Of the
ways and means committee, who is
laid up with rheumatism. and Repre-
sentative TaWney are a"ai.,sl Lewiston.
Washington, Jan. 1I.-Prcsidcnt
Roosevelt. today, continued his con-
terence with members Of Congress on
the subject Of tariff REVISION and oc
legislation prnv.din., fnr an increase 81
the powers Of the Interstate commerce
cc!GH,ission. One statement which
stands ont almost with the prOmin, nee
of an official statement. is that, unless
congress at the pres mt session should
enact legislation looking to the rccula-
zion of railroad freight rates. an extra
ordinary session Of 'ha 18th Congress
will be called by the President To- deal
with that problem.
u can be said Illat the President re-
CARDS the interstate commerce uucs-
ton as tho paramount issue now before
tho American people. Al ,hc conference.
last Saturday, he Informed those whom
he had aumon9l into consultation thai
III his Judgment. the question IF rail
road freight rates was Tar moro i'm
pOrt:tnt than tina; of tho tariff and that
While he desired 4 reimbursement # the
aI c TO-.
permit any radical differences in the
Republican party on that question. He
aid definitely that he would call an
extraordinary session OF Congress To
consider interstate commerce legi,la-
ton unless de.nilc action were taken
BY Congress on iii" sui cCt ut the
present session. Al thar session. he
hoped tariff revision 10 The extent h.
had indicated. might be om3lisha,i
but he made i; perfectly clear that in
his mind the oNcr-shadow ing issue was
that Of railroad rates.
In 4 talk. today. with Speaker can
non. who is recc snizcd rs being opposed
1T this time to any revision If the tar
if. tie President reiterated his state
nent m"de at Saturdays conference.
that while he desired action on the
question. he was willing to abide by the
judgment of the Republican leaders In
congress. as he regal ded the tariff mat
ter as ore which tie chosen representa-
ti"@s of ihe American people should
determine. He indicated that while -
years hence pactically nobody would be
able to say whether the tariff duties on
any given article at this time were 80
nor. conf nd lore N, mr. tbr, No nor
cent ad valorem ant: no one would care
about what the duties are the inter
state commerce question involved
principal dear to every right thinking
and right minded American. particular
~ as the whole matter of dealing with
corporations involves a principle and
he would fight for that principle with
al, the power that in him lies.
The President corrohoratcl the state
mont attributed 10 him that the tariff
question was one merely Of cxpodiency
which would be solved with friction be-
tween him and Congress. Any serious
differences. ne Is known to have been
said between him ANA the Congress on
the tariff revision matter are quite i'm
Dosibe
Speaker Cannon declined when he left
the White House. 10 discuss seriously
the tariff revision question.
You gentlemen" said h" addre s%irg
The neuspap"rm"n. in rcspo!.s" to inqui
:ies. ''bav" exhausted your ina linGtious
on the subject of tariff. Now give ~
something on til, death of the devil or
some other kindred live topic"
Pressed for sta emenj concerning the
prospect for an extraordinary session.
Speaker Cannon rcpiieJ that Theodore
Roosevelt was the only man in the 1'ut-
cd States who could call an extra ordinary
session, and that he would announce in
due time his decision.
Rep Murdoch of Kansas. talked with
the President. today. about the interstate.
commerce question. When he left tn.
White House he said he had no doubt TIA:
An extra ordinary session Of the next con-
grcs> would he called 10 consider railroad
Continued on page 80