Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-01-02
.S|XT|ETH CONGRESS,
Minority Practically a Unit on
All Issues.
REPUBLICANS ARE DIVIDED.
Currency Question Likely to Give
Them Much rroub!c-Tariff Revision
Another Bone of Contention-The
Charge Of Scctonalism Against the
Democratic Party.-Ths Solid West.

Democratic Party--Ths Solid west.
By WILLIS j. ABBOT.
The Sixtieth congress opened with
the best imaginable opportunities for
the Democratic minority. II is prac-
tically unit on all issues. In the
caucus of the house of representatives
there was not one voice raised against
the reelection of John Sharp vii
iams as leader. Hon. Champ Clark, Il
veteran representative with seven
terms to his credit, said the day before
this letter was written: ''The Repub-
leans are now divided on the sort of
legislation that should be passed. espe
cially in regard to the currency. On
the other hand. the Democrats are
majority held by the Republican party
in the house we shall have more
chance of outvoting 1t on important
measures. The truth Of the matter is
that the Republicans have been found
out. For ten years they have been
preaching that the Dingley tariff was
responsible for all our wonderful
prosperity. The Dingley tariff is still
with u.s. but the prosperity has been
given blow. If things go on the way
they have been going. Mr. Bryan will
be elected president OF the United
States as sure as you are born"
Evidences Of Republican Discension.
Mr. Clark has been somewhat ridi-
culed for describing the Democratic
party in congress as united and the
Republican party as split into factions.
Let me take up the case of the latter
party first.
President Roosevelt insists that he is
not candidate for the presidency.
About half his party are trying to
force denomination upon him, the
other half plotting secretly to avert
what they rightly think would be a
fatal blow to their partys success.
The president writes Secretary Cor
telyou that there will be prompt cur
rency legislation In this congress.
Senator Allison. Speaker Cannon and
all the prominent leaders Of the party
announce that there will probably he
no currency legislation, or If any is
completed it will be at the very last
moments Of the session.
Postmaster General Meyer. recon-
mends the establishment Of postal saw
ings banks and parcels post. Speaker
Cannon assures nm interested public
that neither measure can secure at
tention.
Tariff revision is demanded by one
third Of the Republican members of
congress and probably four-fifths Of
the constituents Of all, but the speaker
and two-thirds Of the members of
house and senate, being tied to the
protected industries. bitterly oppose it.
The presidents admirable plan OF
interior waterways has the opposition
alike of the speaker and Mr. Roose-
velt's personal candidate for mayor of
Cleveland, Mr.. Barton, who holds the
commanding position of chairman Of
the committee before which the propo-
sition must he brought.
1t Is fair to say that the clash be-
tween the divergent forces in the Re-
publican party would better be de-
scribed as growing hostility among
the men at the capitol to the man at
the White House. Speaker Cannon has
his forces we'll in hand. There will
not be much apparent divergence Of
opinion between Republicans in debate
unless the president is able to find
some stronger spokesman in house or
senate than he now possesses. The
general impression now Is that the pro-
gramme Of legislation for this session
will be dictated at the capitol and that
1t will be as brief programme as pos
sible
AS for the Democrats, they are, Of
course, because of their small num-
Der. impotent to accomplish any legis-
lation, though they can block some.
They will be ridiculed as being party
of negation, opposing everything and
accomplish. ing nothing. But what else
can the party of opposition be? They
will oppose almost as unit the pro-
jected asset currency law. They will
ate revision of the tariff. At least
three representatives on the Democrat
&c side will introduce bills of the great
est Importance to the newspaper pub
fishers of the United States, providing
for the admission free of duty of all
materials entering into the manufac-
ture Of print paper. The measures
won't be passed.
1t Is characteristic of the timidity of
the Republicans in touching any sub
ject which by any possibility might af
feet the tariff that President Roosevelt,
who has posed as a revisionist in the
days Of long ago, explained that he
would recommend only the abolition
Of the duty on wood pulp in order to
save our forests, which We're rapidly
being destroyed. In other words, he
seems to think that his happy hunting
grounds are of more Importance than
the newspaper business Of the entire
nation. 1t is fair to admit, however,
that the presidents point of view is
not without some plausibility. Even
now, with the duty in existence. learn
from the bulletin of the forestry &c.