The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1908-05-09

Republicans Must Answer to Country
for Action in Congress.

sine mouse or representatives mas
now become but q machine to regis.
ter The edicts of Speaker Cannon and
Dalzell and two or three other stand
patters and trust protectors. Those
who blame the speaker for welding
his enormous power adversely to the
evident wishes of the public must re-
member that he is supported in run
ming his autocratic machine by the
votes Of all the Republican members.
The vote of 80 Republicans, in con-
junction with the Democrats, could de-
pose him from power or again make
the house of representatives a delib'
erative assembly, but not n Repub'
lican member has SO far dared to show
independence for fear of what the
machine would do to crush him. 1t is
come to the pass that congressman
who are in theory supposed to repre-
sent the people and carry out their
will have surrendered their power tc
the three Republican members of the
committee on rules, namely, the speak
err and the two other members ap
pointed by him, who are therefore hut
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 Repub-
lican voters of the country could be
taken on the question Of repeating the
tariff tax on wood pulp and print pa
per, is it not certain that but few
would oppose it? Yet Speaker Can
non refuses to allow the bill to be re-
ported from the ways and means COM
mittee.
On March 10 Mr.. Ridder, president
of the American Newspaper Publish
ers' association, wrote to Congress
man Payne, chairman of the commit
tee, requesting that a hearing be
granted upon the bills relating to free
paper and pulp. On March 81 Mr..
Payne replied, stating that:
THE majority of the committee de-
termined early in the session that 1t
would not be wise to enter upon a re-
vision of the tariff during this year,
thus adding to the uncertainty and dis
quiet always caused by a 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 me with a majority or
the members of the committee and
they adhered to their opinion. | there
fore feel authorized to say to you
there will be no hearing upon tariff
rates until after the presidential cleo
ton"
This reply is but an exhibition OF
arrogance on the part of the ma
jOrity' members of ways and means
committee-the Democratic members
not having been constellation who is
silly enough to believe that a single
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 a presidential election" II
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 Republican campaign fund. they
would have come nearer to the truth.
This free paper and pulp bill is one OF
those recommended by President
Roosevelt, which the Democrats are
TO- trying to force the Republicans
to consider, and is but a sample OF
other bills that the Republican ma.
jority of congress refuse to consider.
Every Republican in congress is
backing Speaker Cannon and the ma
jority of the ways and means commit
tee in this d%o-nothing policy. New
drastic rules to prevent the minority
from even discussing the bills recon,
mended by the president have been
adopted. The voters that believe In
these reforms will doubtless remem'
Der the standpat action of their repre-
sentatives when election day rolls
around and accept no that
they we're standing with the majority
of their party, for surely a Republican
member of congress could politically
afford to stand by the president.