West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-05-24
OUR washington LETTER
How The Government Took a Dose Of
It's Own Medicine on The Tariff.
THE PURE FOOD BILL HELD UP
The President In Deep Hole over
His Rad Faith With Senators Till
man and Bailey About The Rate
Bill.
trom oar ResuIar corre.ponden,.


The tariff has come up in another
guise or rather in an old-disguise.
A few months ago it Will be remem.
bered there was threat on the par,
of the Secretary of War backed by
the Administration TO buy ships and
material for the Panama Canal with
the world as a market. All the in
fant giant industries OF the United
States set up a lusty squalling at
this un-American business. The
idea of buying anywhere for cheap
ness when by paying a double price
the infant giants could be fed Well
in some way the agitation was
silenced. The brave words of the
Secretary of War proved TO be an
idle threat. American ships and
American goods were bought and
thousands Of dollars more were paid
than if they had been bought in the
open markets of the world. Now
it appears that some stream dredges
needed for the canal can be bought
in Scotland for sixty or seventy
thousand dollars less per dredge
than in the United States and Sec
retary Taft who has frugal mind Is
after those foreign machines and is
arguing that the Panama Canal is
not in the United States and is not
affected by tariff restrictions and
that the manufacturers of this
country have no claims that the
Government in al enterprise like
this need respect. The President
IN letter to Congress states that
the course of Secretary Taft has his
full approval. Apropos of the
Canal it has been decided that the
Senate Committee will report IN
favor of sea level waterway which
will mean an additional cost of at
least hundred millions of dollars
and will require FIVE to ten years
more in the digging. Well who
cares for expenses A penny on
bank checks and on beer with an
extra tariff on coffee and tea will
more than raise the amount and If
the Government has good judgement
to let the work out to contractors
instead of attempting to dig the
ditch with red tape fifty millions
more will be saved.
The Pure Food bill which passed
the Senate some time ago and which
1t was supposed would go through
the lower House without opposition
is in reality opposed by powerful
lobby working night and day. All
of the interests which will be in
juriously affected by the passage of
a bill aginst adulteration of food
have combined to fight the measure
and so far their fight appears sue
cessful. The ease with which it
passed the Senate after being held
up as long as possible by opposing
influence in committee gave the
public an idea that there was no
work to be done in the House and
almost Immediately the demands
for the passage Of the bill fell off.
The friends Of adulterated food
were quick to realize that their time
had come for activity and imme-
diately launched a campaign which
il is rumored will be successful.
The Pure Food bill is one that af-
feots the interests of every person in
the United States and a determined
effort on the part of every man and
woman to secure legislation that
will prevent the sale of adulterated
and impure foods in this country is
urgent at this time. If the con-
stituents Of every Congressmen were
to write now demanding an affrma-
tive vote on the bill all the money
that the lobby opposing it has spent
would be powerless to prevent IFS
passage.
While the movement against the
Drug Trust which unlawfully con-
trolls and influences the price oil
drugs and patent medicines has lis
origin in Indiana, Attorney General
Moody and others IN the Administra.
ton here are really back oft. The
Drug Trust it is alleged have been
guilty Of violations OF the Sherman
Antitrust laws and the movement
to break up the monopoly is one oil
the most benehcent movements oil
this Administration.
This week has been one Of sensa.
tions in the Senate in which Sena
tors Bailey of Texas, Tillman oil
South Carolina and Lodge of Massa