The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-04-24
RuIed By Speaker Cannon.

now become but a machine to regis
ter the edicts of Speaker Cannon
and Dalzell and two or three other
standpatters ana trust protectors.
Those who blame the Speaker for
welding his enormous power adver-
sly to the evident wishes of the public
must remember that ne is supported
n running his autocratic machine by
the votes Of all the Republican mem
bers. The vote of 80 Republicans IN
conjunction with the Democrats
could depose him from power or
again make the House of Represent
atives q deliberative assembly, but
not one Republican member has so
far dared to snow independence for
fear of what the machine would do
to crush him. It is come to the pass
that Congressman who are in theory
supposed to represent the people and
carry out their will have surrendered
their power to the three Republican
members of the Committee on Rul-
es, namely, the Speaker and two
other members appointed by him,
who are therefore 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 Republican voters are
satisfied with this condition.
If a Referendum vote of the Re-
publican voters of the country could
be taken onthe question of repeating
the tariff tax on wood pulp and
print paper, is it not certain that
but few would oppose it? Yet
Speaker Cannon refuses to allow the
the bill to be reported from the
ways and Means Committee. On
March 19 Mr.. Bidder, President Of
the American Newspaper Publishers
Association, wrote to Congressman
Payne, chairman of the Committee,
requesting that a hearing be grant
ed upon the bills relating to free pa
per and pulp. On March 81 Mr..
Payne replied, stating that:
1.-The majority of the committee
determined 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 uncertainty
and disquiet always caused by q
presidential election. They also had
in 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. therefore feel
authorized to say to you there will
be no hearing upon tariff rates until
after the presidential election.
This reply is but an exhibition OF
on the part Of the ina
jority" members of Ways and Means
Committee--the Democratic members
not having been consulted--for who
is silly enough to believe that a sim
pie bill putting print paper and
wood pulp on the free list would
disturb the business Of the country
or add to 'the uncertainty and dis
quiet always caused by a presiden-
tial election" If Mr.. Payne and the
other Republicans had stated that it
would disturb the business of the
paper Combine and probably prevent
a liberal contribution to the Repub-
Iican campaign fund, they would
have come nearer tc the truth. This
free paper and pulp bill is one of
those recommended by President
Roosevelt, which the Democrats are
now trying to force the Republicans
10 consider, and is but a sample of
other bills 5nat the Republican ma
jority Of Congress refuse to consld-
er.
Every Republican in Congress is
packing Speaker Cannon and the
majority Of the Ways and Means
Committee in this do-nothing policy.
New drastic rules to prevent the
from even discussing the
bills recommended by the President
nave been adopted. The voters that
believe in these reforms will doubt
ess remember the standpat action
excuses that they were standing
With the majority of their party,
:or surely a Republican member of
Congress could politically afford to
stand by the President.