The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-11-12

cOuSlu, GarQlQ0r OF MASSACHUSETTS and
scores of other members who have
had experience In the house.
I The rules Of the house are sup
posed to be for the purpose of expedi-
ting legislation. So they are, In part,
but IN large part they serve the pur-
pose Of sitting legislation and make it
possible for little or no legislation to
be passed that does not have the APP
prevail of the speaker Should | be-
come a candidate for congress again,
would certainly oppose the election
OF Mr.. Cannon as speaker of the house
and would throw my whole soul in
to the movement for such reforma-
ton Of the rules of the house as
would remove the despotism of the
speaker, and make 1t possible for an
individual member to be more self
Respecting, and further, that would
make it possible for the constituency
OF every member to actually see how
Its representative stands upon the
various questions.
On the tariff question my position
is very generally known was un-
firing, as many citizens Of Idaho can
| sSoSAAJt III lA6lA5 UCIOICt IlG GULL
mittee on ways and means of the
house, during the last session of con-
gress of which | was member, the
evidence that the committee had when
1t considered and prepared the sched-
ules upon the Idaho products, during
I the special session which Immediately
1 followed. l am in favor of the duties
that were placed upon these products,
and recognize that in the prosperity
OF the producers of our lead, our
lumber, our sugar, our wool and our
live stock, the success of our state in
large part depends. Certain features
OF the tariff bill do not approve at
all. What excuse can there be for a
duty upon grain bags? Absolutely
none! What excuse for leather goods.
harness, boots and shoes being given
protection when protection is denied
Z the farmer or stock raiser who has
hide to sell? When compared with
the duty that has been given to pro-
tect our wool producers, the duty up
on manufactured woolens is absolute
ly untenable and indefensible, and
the consumer has this to pay. There
are other features that are equally as
unreasonable
am in favor of the establishment
OF a permanent tariff commission, not
one that has name but no response
bility, but commission that will be
able to make responsible inquiry in
to the cost of production of the var
ious commodities produced abroad,
that are in competition with the COM
modities produced at home, and be
able to make some intelligent report
showing the difference between the
cost of actual production abroad and
at home, which would be used as
basis for tariff legislation. Then I
would have congress shape it's tariff
Legislation accordingly. The producer
within the United States would have
in such tariff law the protection he
could reasonably ask for, while the
consumer would not be held up and
robbed by the INSCRIPTIONS producer
who today takes refuge behind the
tariff law in his extortionate charges.
On the tariff question, the first great
need, in my opinion, is a reasonable |
and fully authorized tariff commits
sion.
On the rate question, such regula-
ton of transportation and all trans
portation matters pertaining to the
states alone must be handled through
our state legislature. Beyond this,
we must look to regulation through
federal legislation. We have that in |
part, but not sufficiently. We have
taken a long step in the right direc- !,
ton, and | am proud that l, was a
member Of congress at the time and
had part in passing the present rail- I
road rate law. We must go further
and one of the first reforms we must
bring about is the division of the /
country into zones for rate charges.
A zone should correspond, either to a
certain geographical and natural di-
vision or to an arbitrary division that
might be established Certainly this
fight will not be won until Idaho citi- !,
zens shall not be Disseminated
against In favor of coast points, The
matter is not settled SO long as we
must pay the freight from the east to
the coast or the rate for that distance
plus the distance back again.
Not only will direct legislation aid
in the solution of the great trans
portation question, but another power
ful aid will come through the inn
provement of our waterways. / am
very proud that had part in advo-
eating and passing the bills giving
the largest appropriation for the de-
velopment of our waterways in the
northwest that were ever passed by
congress. We must develop the water
ways Of the northwest so that we
shall have practical water communi- /.
cation with the sea from the counties /,
of Idaho beginning with Bonner coun- ,
ty on the north and including the ,
counties Of the central part of the /.
state tributary to the navigable por-
ton Of the Snake river on the north.
This Is not dream. 1t will come. ,