The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-08-31
NO REVISION
NEXT SESSION
WILL BE SOME SPEECHES AND
BILLS INTRODUCED BUT NO
ACTION TAKEN.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31.-In view
of what has been said by Secretary
Taft and by other prominent republic
cans, it may be set down for a fact
that there will be no serious at.
ing congress. Tariff bills may be in
troduced, but tile merl introducing
them have no expectation of seeing
them passed. There may be some tar
if speeches intended for home con-
sumption, but the ways and means
committee of the house and finance
committee of the senate will not give
consideration to tariff legislation.
1t is generally assumed that the CO.
lumbus speech of Mr.. Taft was IL. the
nature of an authorized declaration of
administration policies. The War Sec
rotary conferred with the president
and prominent administration leaders
prior to delivering that speech, and it
is generally believed that the speech
was gone over in the presence of the
president and his closest advisers. That
speech conveyed the impression that
the administration would not under
take to force tariff legislation next
winter, but would be content to let the
subject rest until the new admins
tratiOn, when a special session OF
congress could be called for the eX-
press purpose of revising the tariff.
Reasons for Postponement.
Experience has taught that it is
dangerous to the party in power to
revise the tariff just before a presi-
Dental campaign. A change in the
tariff, no matter how badly it may be
Leeded, always upsets business, and
when business is disturbed the party
in power is held responsible and feels
the effects at the polls. So it would
be with the republican party, if there
should be a revision at the session next
winter.
But there are other reasons why
there will be no tariff revision next
winter Tariff legislation must orig
mate in the house of represeL tatives,
and before the house can pass upon
a tariff bill it must be formulated and
reported by the committee on ways
and means. That committee as now
constituted, is opposed to any moii-
fication in the Dingley law and Speak
er Cannon, who will have the entire
say in reorganization the committee,
if he is reelected speaker, is bitterly
opposed to revision al the present time.
Mr.. Cannon is sure of reelection,
therefore there is sure to be a ways
I and means committee that will not
report a tariff bill Tariff legislation
is therefore entirely in the hands of
the IS men composing this committee.
1t is to be noted that this commit
tee in the last congress consisted of IL
republicans and six democrats. The
democrats were not in favor of joining
the republican tariff reformers at the
last session in order to get a bill be-
fore the house, knowing that the credit
for any revision, could it have been
brought about, would have gone to
the dominant party 1t is to be pre-
sumed that the democratic members
! of the new committee will take the
same position. But it is not likely
that the democrats will be consulted,
for Mr.. Cannon will have power so to
organize the committee as to guaran-
tee safe majority against revision
! something he can readily do so long
as the republicans have a majority of
six on the committee.