West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-05-03
OUR washington LETTER
The San Francisco Calamity Another
Good Object Lesson on
The Tariff.
THE TRIBUTE TO THE STEEL TRUST.
SENATOR TiiIman Now Showing mp I he
Methods anu Illegal Practices
or The Coat Aud OIL
Carving Roads.
From Our Regular Correspondents.

WAsHINGToN April 80, 1906. -
1t would b, remarkable il the
San Francisco earthquake should
open the door for tariff talk in Con-
gress despite the assertion Of the
Speaker that the tariff should not be
discussed in the House and the no.
torious disinclination OF the Senate
to have anything done. Yet it looks
as though this were just what might
happen. The bill to remove the
duty on structural steel and other
building material for the benefit of
the earthquake sufferers has already
been introduced in the House and
will assuredly be passed, as have
been and will be all other relief
measures. Leaving the mere ques-
ton of humanity aside, there is good
precedent for such action in the case
of the Chicago fire when structural
steel was much less a necessary
constituent of buildings than it is
now. Moreover all of the great
buildings of San Francisco will be
steel of frame make as it has been
abundantly proved that they are the
nearest to earthquake proof and fire
proof structures that can be built.
San Francisco never wanted such
an awful demonstration as has been
furnished, but for a decade past
there has been the greatest curiosity
on the part of architects and engin-
GERS to know how the steel frame
buildings would stand good shake.
Now they know, and hereafter it
wilt be steel structures for the Paci
fic coast.
But the country is now in the
midst of steel famine and all the
mills are booked with orders almost
a year ahead. Therefore unless the
rebuilders OF unfortunate San Fran
cisco are to be penalized in the IN
terests of protective tariff, they
will have to be allowed to enter the
markets of the world and get their
steel where it can be had the cheap
est. When the bill is up however,
it will be hard to keep it from being
the subject of discussion and the
question naturally will be asked why
the rest of the country should be
compelled to continue paying tri-
butte TO the Steel Trust. Everyone
knows that the United States is to-
day making steel and all sorts of
steel products better and cheaper
than they can be made in any other
country in the world. When the
question is taken up and the door
opened for questions, it will be hard
TO stem the tide of tariff talk IN the
House and entirely impossible to do
so in the Senate unless the bill is
brought in under a special rule,
which the leaders will be very lo9th
to do. OF course such a thing as
general tariff revision at the present
session is out of the question. But
there is room for any number of in.
,eresting and awkward questions
and there are enough confessed re-
visionistS in both houses to STIR up
the debate once they are given a
chance.
Speaking Of the earthquake, the
Postofiice Department received the
first mail from the stricken city on
Wednesday, 1t was an interesting
batch and contained a number Of
official letters for the various de .
partments from their employees on
the coast. One long telegram from
Mr.. Vale Of the Geological Survey
arrived at the same time as a letter
from him written the day after the
shock showing that the wires have
been tremendouslg-cro crowded with
press and military messages. There
we're also some curious things IN the
way of letters, several written on
visiting cards without stamps or en-
velopes and one without either an
envelope or stamp written on Leaf
torn from note book. 1t was re.
miniscent of the Spanish War DAYS
when a number Of letters we're mailed
in lieu of postal cards. Il IS inter.
esting to note that all Of the earth.
quake mail was received and han.
died by the Postoffce whether il
bad stamps on It or not. This seems
to have been one time when all gov
ernmental regulations and red tape
were sub ordinate to the demand,
of humanity.
Tne hearings Of the Interstat,
Commerce Commission in Washing
ton have been quite as entertainin,