Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1908-04-24
STANDING PAT.

The House OF Representatives has now
become a machine to register the edlcts oil
Speaker Cannon and Dalzell and two or
three other standpatters and trust protectors.
Those who blame the Speaker for welding
his enormous power adversely to the evil
dent wishes of the public, must remember
that he is supported in running his auto
publican members. The vote OF 80 Repub-
licans in conjunction with the Democrats
could depose him from power or again make
the House of Representatives deliberative
assembly, but not one Republican member
has so far dared TO show independence for
fear of what the machine would do TO crush
him. II is come to pass that Congress.
men who are in theory supposed to repre-
sent the people and carry out their will
have surrendered their power to the three
Republican members Of the Committee on
Rules, namely, the Speaker and the two
other members appointed by him, who are
but messenger boys TO do his bidding.
Leaving the Democratic members out OF
the question and looking at the matter from
the Republican point Of view, how many
Rep1 5.icsu voters sre satisfied With p
egpaAion.
n n rsfcreracr1 ss sne t.gpa
voters Of The country Goals ba takea 7s tll
question Of repeating taa .sslf tn aa a59a
pulp aud print paper, "a it az. eccss.n tass
but lev would oppose !, " c. 5pesaer Cat.
non refuses b aiow .le siil 20 be- reported
from "a. ..-ys -aa 4.saus COMMITTEE.
On March 10Th Mr.. Ridder, President of
the American Newspaper Publishers As
citation, wrote to Congressman Payne, chair.
man of the committee, requesting that q
hearing be granted upon the bills relating
to free paper and pulp. On March 21G
Mr.. Payne replied, stating that:
1.-THE majority of the committee deter
mined early in the session that it would not
be wise to enter upon a revision OF the tariff
during this year, thus adding to the uncer-
tainty and disquiet always caused by
presidential election. They also had 10
mind the disturbance caused by the recent
panic. In order to avoid all agitation, they
decided that they would have no hearings
upon any subject affecting the tariff rates.
After receiving your letter again met with
a majority of the members of the committee
and they adhered to their opinion. there
lore feel authorized to say to you there will
be no hearing upon tariff rates until alter
the presidential election"
This reply is but an exhibition OF AFRO
gance on the part OF the majority" mem.
bers of Ways and Means Communicable
Democratic members not having been con
sulted-for who is silly enough to believe
that a simple bill putting print paper and
wood pulp ON the free list would disturb
the business OF the country or add TO "the
uncertainty and disquiet always caused by
presidential election" II Mr.. Payne and
the other Republicans had stated that il
would disturb the business OF the Paper
Combine and probably prevent liberal con.
tribution to the Republican campaign fund,
they would have come nearer 10 the truth.
This free paper and pulp bill is one OF those
by President Roosevelt, which
the Democrats arc now trying TO force the
Republicans to consider, and is but a sam
pie Of other bills that the Republican ma
jority of Congress refuse to consider.
Every Republican in Congress is backing
Speaker Cannon and the majority OF the
Ways and Means Committee in this do moth.
ing policy. New drastic rules to prevent
the minority from even discussing the bills
recommended by the President have been
adopted. The voters that believe in these
reforms will doubtless remember the stand
pat action Of their representatives when cleo
ton day rolls around and accept no excuses
that they were standing with the majority
of their party, for surely Republican men,
Der of Congress could politically afford to
stand by the President.