Middletown transcript., 1909-03-20
WASHINGTON LETTER


WASHINGTON. d. O., March Is, 1909.
Il THE fact shat Senator Aldrich, chairman
of the finance committee and who
will hare charge Of the tariff bin in the
Senate, has booked passage for Europe
for the middle Of June next is eousidered
most significant and as indicative thai all
unnecessary delay in the enactment OF q
new tariff law Is TO be avoided by the
Republican leaders. Senator Scott Of
West Virginia has proposed plan which
may be adopted and which will, III his
esti,nation, dispose OF the tariff in the
most expeditions manner. His idea is to
have resolution offered ia the Senate, a.
sooD as it convenes on Monday, making a
declaration on the tariff question as a basis
for any number of speeches aud thus
bringing the measure up for discussion in
Tie Senate at tile Saline time tl,ar Il Is MI
der consideration in the lloass.
So
Tile members Of the Ways aud means
COMMITTEES are having hard time uI il
III their efUrssto frame up bill that vii
meet all requirements They are in receipt
Of large numbers of protests against the tax
on sugar, very lively agitation has been
started to increase the proposed duty ON
lumber from u to $l.5I; and they are
obliged to choose between an increase o
the tax on beerar Of placing a duty ,uD
coffee. Members Of both houses OF Con.
gress are urging the reimpusition Of some
Of the Spanish American war taxes, such |
as the Scent stamp on checks, telegrams,
etc, as the only uieans by which the ad.
ditional revenue esn be raised, NECESSARY
80 make the annual income Of the govern
nient approximate Tie aunnaI expendi-
ture. This question has received some
serious attention on the Senate eide, and.
while there Is no purpose 10 Fe-enact al of
stamp taxes, the claim is made that some
Of them could be imposed again wIlhout
the ordinary consumer and
without iIiuring those lines Of business
engaged iu by the great mass of the peo.
Pile. The revenue on stamps alone dur. :
ing the tllree years during which tbs war
iaxes were in operation, averaged about .
b4l ,0O0, 900 annually, aud that on egaeies /
u 1901 aggregated $6,2ll ,S99.
~ Ef
The interstate commerce continuation
las just announced decision TO the ef. q
ect that it is unlawful for railroads 90 10 q
ldinst their rate schedules as 10 force COM :
nodities into q particular city or port.
The case was that Of the chamber Of com.
neEce Of Milwaukee against the Chicago,
sock Island and Pscific and the Chicago.
diiwaukee aud St, Paul railroads, III
lhicf the commission held that The joint
hrough rate on corn, rye and oats from
be vest and northwest TO Milwaukee
nRht not to exceed such rate to Chicago.
Again the subject Of the restoration OF
Iarines aboard ships of war has come up
i discussion % the Navy Department..
.cretary Meyer says it is bis intention to
1serye ths letter and the spirit of the
W, which becomes operative on July lss
ID under which tile appropriations
r the navy are 70 be withheld unless the
arines are given seq duty. Already
sps have been taken boxing 20 The din
button of The mRriues anii ~ the VAR
be sllipa and She Attorney General.
determine its couatitnlionalisy, his
~ desire was to avoid any possible dif-
ulty in the Comptreners'a Office.
-
The Secretary of she Navy hss giYsn
'ections for radical change in she
Tile practice Of Narships. This new
Ter provides that the conditions nader
Iich the practice is held shall bs sirni,
to those likely to obtain ID iinse ii
I, % fer aa II possible, andltO that end
J slips, IN future, are required 10 man
lver in rOuRh water in the open and to
! at moving Target
1ns Of the fret acts Of Secretary Dick r
oni the new Secretary of War, Will Be Roc
selection cftlie military court Of in m ieel
~, provided for by the Foraker act, is1 ara
the Investigation oE lie Case Of the liah
Istaa mens asgroes. Of Companies Msl
9s and p of tiie Infantry, disu asgsd
bout hou6r By PIesIasnt Roosevelt %