The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-07-04


whether it is TO pass or not at tins
session during the present week and
before this letter reaches Honolulu.
Representative Gardner, in charge OF
the bill, has put in his call for a
caucus. but Speaker Cannon is con-
Quoting a canvas of House Republicans
to determine whether they favor the
imrnigrat ton bill. The indications are
that d majority are against it and
prefer that 1t go over till the next ses-
sion of Congress.
In some respects the most notable
legislative controversy Of this session
of Congress has come at its vely close.
The struggle as to what kind OF a
meat inspeot ton rider shall go upon the
Agricultural Appropriation bill has
stirred the House Republican leaders to
a high pitch and will probably keep
them at high pitch till the gavels of
adjournment fall.
The President has literally been driv-
ing them by threats and denunciation.
And they have been moving the legis
lation along grudgingly, muttering their
disapproval. swearing at the President
in the committee rooms and corridors,
but not daring to come out into the
open. There is one exception, however
Representative James W. Wadsworth,
OF New York, chairman of the Commit
tee on Agriculture. He and the Pres
dent have for years been as friendly IS
brothers. visiting at one anothers
house and maintaining the closest So
cial as well as political relations. Mr..
Wadsworth shot his bolt at the Pr ST
dent defiantly. Whatever the merits
of his side of the controversy, it is to
be said in his favor that he dared to
openly say what no other of more than
100 Republican members dared say, al
though they felt as holly about il and
as vigorously resented what they were
pleased to style the most glaring in
stance of executive Interference with
Congressional legislation, since Theo-
dore Roosevelt became President
SEN " As bO11LE.
1t is particularly noteworthy that the
Senate, which frequently dares to fight
the President and did fight with some
success on the railroad rate xegula ton
bill, passed the meat inspection With
out a word of debate. Senat tors saw
the necessity of better inspection, after
i the revelations of THE Jungle" They
also saw the weakness in the amend
neat which Senator Beverldge and
others had drawn. Mr.. Beveridge is
far from a careful legislator and does
, not have. the confidence Of his Republi-
can colleagues, but they were none the
less willing to accept his work, beca use
they were aware that agitation would
hurt the domestic and the export trade
in meats. Then it happened that Sena-
tors. upon whom the beef trust could
rely to make a fight, were away from
Washington at the time.
Had the House taken the same philo-
sophie view of the situation, as the
Senate had, it might have been far bet
ter, di Though there are decidedly fwo
sides to the story. The packers were
very Shortsghted in resisting the Pres |
ident's campaign for better inspection.
whatever criticisms can be justly made |
of the Presidents methods of proceed
ure. They could have lived fer few .
months under the provisions of the
Beveridge rider, its imperfections would
have become apparent by next Deem !
Der, when Congress assemblies again. !
and these could have been corrected,
thus avoiding the. injurious agitation
Of the last two weeks
FRIENDS OF PACKERS.
The packers undoubtedly inspired the
fight that the House began TO make
and which it has now in large part
yielded. The hope Of campaign con
tributions among the Republicans is
very lively at this political stage and
some of their managers were alert to
help the packers cause along. Then
Speaker Cannon comes from Illinois. |
He had a duty 10 perform TO them as
his constituents. He was bound. in any
event, to give them a hearing If they
wanted il. Representative Lorimer, of
illinois, member of the House COM
nittee on agriculture, has packers
among his constituents He is in close
-ouch with them and he has been most
active in arranging a modification that
would suit them. Those who know
representative Wadsworth. know that
1e is in closer sympathy with the pur-
ehasers than with the consumers of
neat. because OF his long business as
'ociatons- And yet no one, familiar
With the situation, would accuse him
II dishonesty. He is too wealthy 10 az
ord 10 be dishonest in legislation. But
Mr. Wadsworth, without ever having
distinguished himself for ability as a |
during his many years of
ervice. has a penchant for getting on !
he losing side of a cause.
Speaker Cannon, as the situa+i ion is
'iewed here. had at least one very good =
rgument for his position. That is that ]
he assessment OF the cost Of inspection |
ipon the packers would open the way [
or abuses and would also take the con- Y
rol OF the purse strings in that par I