Evening star., 1909-05-15
RESOLUTION GOES OVER
Would Have Finance Committee In
vestigate Subject.
SAYS BLAME SHOULD BE FIXED
Declares That If Middlemen Are
Responsible for Robbery of Con-
sumer It Should Be Apparent.

numOer OF the republican iliSH piotoS'ioi
lists in the Senate during the past few
days, that the high prices which the con-
sumers of this country are forced to pay
for articles of daily use are chargeabie TO
the jobbers and retailers and not TO the
manufacturers and the tariff, the demo-
Gratis this morning attempted to vindi-
cate the jobbers and retailers by forcing
the finance committee to investigate the
whole subject. AS soon as Senator Aid
rich of Rhode Island, chairman OF the
committee, perceived that some of the
republican "progressiyes'' were joining
the democrats in this movement he ex-
ercised his right and objected to the con-
sideration of the matter today. 1t will
come up again Monday.
Johnston Ridicules Tariff Bill.
AS soon as this subject, which bid fair
to stir up some more of the feeling that
was exhibited yesterday, was out of the
way for the present, Senator Johnston of
Alabama, gave the debate new turn by
delivering speech which the republicans
on the finance committee soon understood
was an attack on the Payne-Afdrfch Dill
by means of ridicule and milder forms OF
humor. Mr.. Johnston is noted for his wit.
He is one of the best storyteliers In the
Senate. For that reason everybody lis
tened.
The blind senator from Oklahoma. Mr..
Gore, was Immediately responsible for the
movement in defense of the jobber ana
retailer AS soon as the Senate con-
vened he offered a resolution, instructing
the finance committee to investigate the
entire question and report to the Senate
as soon as possible. 1t authorized the
committee to subpoena witnesses.
Immediately Senator Cu1DerSOn
Texas. minority leader, was on his feet
to call attention to the Importance OF the
subject. He made it evident that Mr..
Gore was not acting alone in the matter
by asking for roll call on Mr.. Hale s
motion. Then the finance committee sat
up and took notice.
Hale Moves to Refer.
Senator Hale of Maine came to the res
cue first. He said the committee already
had all the power it needed to do just
that thing, and 1t wasn't necessary to
pass the resolution. The question it
raised. said he, underlay the entire tariff
question and had to be considered by the
committee in connection with every item.
He moved that the Gore resolution be re-
ferred to the finance committee.
"The senator from Maine is right" de-
clared Mr.. Gore, when he says the COM
mittee has the power to make this in
vestigation... but power unused Is no
power at all. The committee has not ex-
ercised that power and l don't believe 1T
will exercise it,
Time to Know the Facts.
1t was high time. according to Mr.. Gore,
that the truth be known and that the
blame for the high prices be fixed If the
retailers and jobbers instead of the man
ufacturers and the protective tariff, were
responsible for the robbery. the country
ought to know IT, and IL they were not
the Senate owed 1t to them that they be
vindicated at once of fleeing their neigh
bors. He declared he could see through
the contention Of the committee.
People who live in glass houses" said
dark"
His resolution would be lost if it ever
went to the committee. he claimed for
that body was tomb" where the re-
taller and jobber could not get their day
in court. He said an epitaph might as
we'll be written at once on the grave of
his resolution: Here it lies. and lies
Then Mr.. Hale accused the democrats of
having raised up man of straw In order
to knock 1t down. Nobody was responsible
for using the words conspiracy and
charged by the retailers and jobbers, he
held, except the senators on that side of
the chamber. He said it was all a mat
ter of the course of trade in this country.
The republicans. he said. had brought it
forward merely to show that the tariff
had no relation to the price to the ulti-
mate consumer.
Then something happened. Senator Clapp
of Minnesota, who has become a full
fiedged insurgent republican, got up and
supported the democratic resolution. He
asserted that, it was unfair to charge the
retailers and jobbers with getting exor-
bitant prices, for they had many expenses
to pay.
Senators Smoot of Utah and Flint Of
California. members of the committee,
were on their feet like flash Mr.. Smoot
was recognized first after Mr.. Clapp took
his seat. He denied that anybody had ac-
cused the retailers of extortion. 1t was
due to he condition Of trade, he said.
Flint Arraigns Retailers.
But Mr.. Flint was bolder. II reiterate
what l have said on former occasions in
this chamber, said the Californian, en-
phaticaly, land that is that the retail
ers are getting exorbitant prices. 1 know
that the department stores of the coun-
try are circulating reports that the high
prices are due to the tariff when they
themselves are responsible for them
After Senator Warren of Wyoming, one
of the "elder statesmen had said a few
words in defense of the committee, fol-
lowing the lead of Mr.. Hale, another in
surgent voice was raised. 1t came from
Senator Borah of Idaho. Mr. Borah
wanted to have the Gore resolution read
again. 1t had interested him.
That was too much for Mr.. Aldrich He
wanted to hurry up with the considera-
tion Of the tariff bill. He objected to fur
ther consideration of the resolution, and a
the debate was proceeding by unanimous
consent, the Vice President, under the
rules. had to declare the question closed
for the day and announce that the resolu-