The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1909-07-16
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
Washington, d. c., July 10th, 1909

Mr.. Editor -
The refusal of ten Republican Sena-
tors to vote for the Aldrich-Payne tariff
bill when it was placed on passage IN
the Senate should. in the estimation OF
the Democrats in Congress, prove
warning to the dominant party. With
one of the Republican membership of
that pre- eminently conservative body,
the Senate, refusing to vote for the
Aldrich Payne anomoE, they suggest,
is it not evident that considerably more
than one sixth of the voters, most OF
whom are consumers rather than man7-
facturers, will refuse to vote
for the party which is responsible for
the tariff bill ? If anything like one
sixth of the voters refuse to vote for
Republican candidates for the House
in November 1910, is it not a reason
able assumption that the reign of Can
non, Payne, Dalzell, ct. al. will be
ended, and that Democratic majority
Will CDuuc luGO ltS " W II
1t is not necessary to go to Demo-
cratic sources for condemnation of the
tariff bill as passed by the Senate. The
explanation of those Republican Sena-
ors who have sought to prevent the
adop ton of the numerous Senate In
creases, as made on the floor of the
Senate during the two hours proceed
ing the final vote, contain ali the con-
demnation which any Democratic ora
tor could desire and they will doubtless
be freely used on the stump in the next
campaign. When as staunch Re
publican as Senator Beverage of
Indiana, whose party loyalty none can
question, deem it necessary to charge
bis party with violating its sacred
pledges to the people, and to vote
against great party measure like the
tariff bill it affords abundant evidence to
the average man ofthe character of that
measure.
Many Republicans, including some
who voted for the tariff, hope and ex-
pect that great improvement will be
worked in the bill in conference, not
the result of any special disposition on
the part of the conferences to revise
the tariff downwards but because of the
avowed intention OF the President to
exert his powerful influence to secure
the acceptance by the Sen ate of all the
House reductions and by the House of
all the Senate reductions. 1t is still too
early to warrant any prediction as to
the result of the Presidents influence,
but that he will do all in his power
short of vetoing the bill to prevent the
final enactment of the high rates i'm
posed by the Senate is certain.
No sooner had the conferences been
appointed that the President requested
some of them to come to the White
House where he expressed to them mis-
views as to the necessity of revising the
tariff downward. Without attempting
to 60 into detail, Judge Taft pointed
to the general condemn nation which has
been visited on the Senate bill and urg-
ed his party associates to so modify the
bill in conference as to obviate that
criticism as far as possible. 1t is a
notable fact, however, that under the
rules governing conferees they are
authorized first to deal only with those
subjects where the two houses differ,
and secondly, they are limited in their
action to the extremes of such differ
ence. For intance, talks the case of
print paper. The House fixed a rate
of 50 ton. The Senate fixed a rate of
81 ton. Whatever may be the judg-
ment of the eonferees they cannnt in
crease the duty above "a nor lower ii
below So. Under these circumstances,
while there is considerable room for
betterment, no startling radical I'M
provement can be effected in the tariff
bill.
AS if to insure the maintenance of
the higher rates of duty, Speaker Can
non added Representative Fordn ey
probably the stoutets high protectionist
in the House, to the list of conferees,
although by that addition. House con-
ferees exceed those of the Senate by
one Mr.. Fordn ey, it will be recalled,
led the fl ght in the House for the high
est possible duty on lumber and it is
expected that he will contest every
effort of charm an Payne to compel the
Senate to accept the lower duties of the
House.
The President, who has been travel
ing in New England, has returned to
the White House, after leaving his
family at Beverly, where his summer
home is located. He will remain in
Washington until be can sign the tariff
bill and will then leave for the summer.
The experts are estimating that the bill
will be finally passed and Congress al
though it is appreciated that anything
like a deadlock in conference would
probably prolong the session until a
considerably later date. The Dingley
bill was eleven days in conference
Were the 'Aldrich-Payne- bill to remain
as long it would be reported to two
houses of Congress on July 20.
ExAM1NAT1oNs