Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-27
TARIFF LEGISLATION

X some tariff Is certain to get
- hearing in the coming session
of congress, and the hearing will serve
among other good things, to show up
the peculiar powers of the senate. II
is known to be the legal right of the
house to originate all laws on tariffs
and taxes, but so cleverly have the
solons of the senate arranged methods
Of legislation they are enabled to
amend and to actually substitute laws
for those originating in the house, and
in that manner usurp a plain preroga-
tive of the lower chamber This as
sumed power by the senate Is vitally
important In the matter of hoped for
tariff revision, as 1t will enable the
senator's who represent corporate in
terests (and they are in the majority
to nullify any attempt at revision the
house may feel impelled to make in
response to the current overwhelming
public demand.
The reciprocity treaty with Germany
must come up for action in the senate,
and it is slated to fail of passage be-
cause of corporate interests affected,
and the action taken will lead to a
general discussion of cognate topics,
which at least will inform the country
of the likelihood of revision or stand
pattism" to come What is intended to
be done in the case of Germany can be
claimed by other nations, especially
Canada and France, and the fact that
the lower house will insist on voice
portant measures insures full and
free airing of the whole subject. out of
which must come a. true showing Of the
senatorial hand.
Tariff revision direct can be under
taken by the house and made effective
regardless of the senate, but as the
membership is administration" in it's
makeup, and as the utterances of Taft
are held to be official on that theme, it
is not likely that immediate relief will
come.
The "stand patters" will probably
allow the issue to come up for consider
alton, and when it begins to grow
warm "Uncle Joe" Cannon will Choke
it off, and put 1t in cold storage in
some convenient pigeonhole till the next
Republican presidential platform is to
be constructed, and then trot 1t out,
harnessed to the 'stand pat" wagon,
and work the partisan whip to get
national support for 1t.
1t is highly probable that the plans
of the "stand patters'' for the coming
presidential campaign will take form
in this next congress, and where the
needs and demands of a burdened con-
stituency should have the right of way
they are certain to be shelved and the
game of national Republican politics
willItake their place.
President Roosevelt is on his way to
the south and cannot fail to learn pub
lie opinion on the tariff question in
that section, and if his message shall
set forth existing opinion as he finds 1t
it will be impossible for congress to
sidestep theNissue altogether. The pres
ident knows the tariffs are burdensome,
out of date and filled with inequalities,
but he is between the devil and the
deep sea so long as Cannon, In the
house, and Aldrich, in the senate, have
such numerical "stand pat" force be-
hind them. This will necessitate a
postponement of action till after the
election, and if that should result in
new lease of power to the "stand pat"
or Republican majority the country
would be saddled again for four years
and be helpless in the grasp Of these
designing people.
This nation resumed specie payments
simply by resuniing, and the same
method must be adopted in the vital
matter of revision of the tariff, !. e.,
revise, and it must be at once to be
beneficial to helpless industries and a
check on arrogant favorites like the
steel combine, and all the facts cited
above prove 1t cannot be had at the
hands of the Republican party. Is 1t
not then, the part of wisdom to SO
vote in the coming elections that the
democratic nominees, pledged to early
and effective revision, shall be returned
to congress and to the White House,
that certain relief from this trade and
business killing curse be obtained? All
thinking men are asked to calmly con-
slider these simple truths and vote to
overthrow the power of the stand
patters' and place the country's busi-
ness on just and equitable tariff
basis.