The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-07
FOWLER KEEPS UP HIS FIGHT.


IIo does not believe that the Repuhll'
can party can thrive under the leader
shin of Cannon and AldTich. and fatty
saws that unless the Republican pnrty
gets rid of those men and their lead
ership the people will get rid OF the
Republican party,
In this Mr.. Fowler may or may not
be true prophet, but one thing Is
absolutely sure: that is, that the al
legged settlement of the tariff question
hv means of the abortive and dishon-
esi tariff bill passed at tho extra ses-
sion of Congress does not settle the
tariff question. Representative tow-
Ter recognizes this, and strikes at an
open point of discomfort all around
with the tariff bill. 1t was clearly not
the intent of either Aldrich or Cannon
10 have any such tariff commission as
President Taft is making of the tarlil
board which he was authorized to ap-
point. He is making it in every re-
spcct a tariff commission, whereas 1T
was expressly stated by those who had
charge of the tariff bill that there
should he no tariff commission. NO
such body was favored by them, and
no such powers as would naturally in
here in tariff commission were grant
ed to the tariff board. And yet this
board appointed by the president Is
| bv him considered TO all intents and
purposes as tariff commission. Rep
rescntative Fowler sees that opening,
and promptly takes advantage OF it in
preparing a bin which viii not leave
the action Of this tariff board or com
mission in such loose condition as it
now is He seeks TO define its work
and It's powers by law. Which is clear
Iy right. For it Will not do to have
board of this kind without definite
powers and duties under the law. So
left, its acts and uttcranccs would al
ways be subject TO question, And when
Mr.. Fowler's bill comes up for discus
sion. there Will undoubtedly he very
much said upon the general features of
the tariff bill. Aside from his BILL
however, there is bound to be large
number of tariff bills introduced, and
much of the time of Congress taken up
in discussing them and the general
tariff question.
Another bill which Representative
Fowler is strong upon is the monetary
and currency bill. President Taft pro.
fesses absolute confidence in the ability
and practical service of Senator Aid.
rich in framing and putting through an
adequate bill 30 correct any evils that
may exist in our currency and monetary
system. But the country does not share
this optimism of the president. Sena-
tor Aldrich Joined with Mr. Vreeland
the present chairman of the House
Banking and Currency Committee, in
framing and putting through Congress
a bill that was absolutely unworkable
II is poor recommendation for a man
to say that he is competent to deal
with "A question and at the same time
be obliged TO admit that he has pro.
duccd and put upon the statute book
law that is absolutely impracticable.
one under which nothing whatever
could be done. Mr. Fowler, on the
other hand, has very practical views
on the monetary and currency ques-
ton. AT the very time that the Aid
rich Vreeland bill was put through Con-
gress, Mr.. Fowler was urging a cur
reney measure, one that if passed
would certainly have been at least
practical to work under And in gen
cral that bill Of Mr.. Fowler IS was
f,ir l,i hot nd 70, !
purpose intended by it. And yet it was
not such bill as ought TO be passed
now, without material modi fication The
| country has come now TO the point
where it must do one of two things,
either give the Government far more
power, and consent to the use Of that
power, than it has ever had before
in the monetary and currency system
of the country. or else keep the Gov
erument out of it altogether. If the
Government is going 10 do it, well and
good. If the "sound fnancers' deter
mine that the Government must not do
it, then it will he necessary TO keep
the Government out altogether. The
shilly.shallying that has been going on
ever since the War Of the Rebellion
with respect TO the currency Of the
country must cease.
The people arc getting tired. also, of
the proposition that we have got 10
maintain an enormous debt. costing the
Government $20,000,000 TO So, 900. 900 n
year in interest, merely to afford ba-
sis for the issue of currency by the
National Banks. The country could
have been out of debt many years ago,
and ought to have been out Of debt
long ago, except for the Panama cost
IT would undoubtedly have been so
il il had not been for the assumed
need Of keeping out the Government
bonds TO afford n basis for National
Bank currency. IL the country is to
be surrendered in its monetary and cur
rency affairs 10 "the interests and
to ''sound finance" and the Govern
ment kept out Of the matter even 10
| the extent of withdrawing the outstand-