The Washington herald., 1909-03-27
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

Failure on the part Of the Forty-eighth
and Forty-ninth. Congresses TO pass the
two Morrison tariff bills did not deter
the Democrats in the House in the Fiji
tieth Congress from repeating their for
mer efforts in the direction OF a low
tariff The Democratic majority had been
dwindling. and was now down TO less
than one-fourlh Of what il had been when
Morrison tried 20 pass his horizontal
bill" President Cleveland came forward
with precedent-breaking annual mes
sage. It's every word was devoted to the
tariff. which he sought to have made the
issue OF the Presidential campaign. then
only some seven months away.
The effect OF the message on the Demo-
Gratis in Congress was remarkable. and
brought down TO FIVE the number OF those
opposing the policy OF their own party.
Under these conditions it was easy 10
SEQ that the third effort to drive low
tariff measure through a Democratic
House would succeed. Roger Q. Mills Of
Texas. a dyed-in-the-woOl low tariff ad-
vocate, was made chairman OF Ways and
Means He and his committee took four
months to report a new tariff bill. The
measure was in reality only partial re-
vision of the tariff 1t extended the free
list. substituted many ad yalorem duties
in the stead OF specific duties. and re-
duced most OF the high tariff schedules
Wool was added 20 the free list most
lumber and lumber products were put
there. Woolens were given a duty OF 40
per cent. Cotton goods came in for
like duty. Mr. Mills got figures from the
Bureau of Statistics. going 10 show that
the total remission Of duties under the
Mills bin would amount to $50,00009, OF
which SS0.o000 900 would result from reduc-
tions in duty; the remainder from addi-
tiOns to the free list.
The House debated the bin for more
than a month. The Republicans attacked
II on many grounds for the tariff had
now become full-hedged party issue.
First. they asserted that IL had been
framed by farmers. and that the manu-
featuring States had next to no represen-
tation on the committee that drew the
bill They claimed. furthermore, that it
had been concocted secretly By the ma
jority, and that the minority had been
ignored until the time az reporting the
measure. They got together a list Of
the articles affected by the BILL and from
produced them 10 a value OF S91. 900,
while the other States produced them 10
the value of ST5.000000, nearly twenty
times as much. Then they charged that
free trade pamphleteers had written the
measure. and that clerks were detailed
from the Treasury Department to assist
I'm making il as harmful 10 manufacturers
as possible.
The Democrats responded by calling TO
mind what the Republicans had said in
1883 At that time the Democrats were
plainly told that the Republicans were
responsible TO the country for what Con-
gress then did. and that they were not
going to permit the Democrats 70 thwart
them in their efforts 10 live I'D TO their
responsibility. Now II was the Demo-
Gratis who were telling that same thing
60 the Republicans. Republicans replied
with taunts to the effect that the South
had not reduced the tariff on articles In
which il was interested. and was not will
ing 10 practice itself that which it was
preaching TO the North.
Most Of the debate was in opposition to
the bill. There never has been a tariff
bill considered in the House where the
majority was more lenient with the min
Gritty than the Democrats were with the
Mills bill. More than hundred times the
Committee Of the Whole took the parlia-
nentary journey 10 the House and back
I'm order to limit the debate on a particu-
lar amendment. but then only after that
debate had gone on FOR a reasonable time.
The Republicans tried their best TO amend
the bill. but Mills held his forces togeth-
or as a seasoned general upon the field
and not once could the opposition get an
amendment past him.
While the bill was pending in the House
the national conventions met The Demo-
Gratis were about as badly divided over
indorsing the Mills bill In terms as they
were over the proposition specifically to
reaffirm Is 20 ! al Kansas City. But there
Was no Bryan 10 lead them. The bill
was unanimously indOrsed by the con-
vention. but that Endorsement was not
made part of the platform. II was a
sort OF Parker gold telegram. promul-
gated. however. by the whole convention
instead of by the nominee. The Repub-
leans denounced the Mills bill and came
out for the Randall idea OF repeating high
internal revenue taxes instead Of lower
ing tariff duties. Some Of the newspapers
inclOsed whisky and tobacco in bTack-
Rts after the phrase internal taxes" and
thereby made the Republican platform
seem declaration for free whisky"
After the convention period was over
the House continued its consideration OF
the tariff bill, and finally passed it on
July p. with only four Democrats vot-
ing against II. Samuel J. Randall wanted
to be paired against the bill, but was not.
After this the scene shifted to the other
end of the Capitol. which was Republican.
The Senate was bitterly opposed to the
Mills bill. The Finance Committee got
hold of #. and ostentatiOusly did the
things the Ways and Means Committee
failed to do. The committee accorded
the fullest hearing. allowed the minority
this time the DemOcrats-tO participate
in its deliberations. and. in short. sought
20 make the course Of the House commit
tee look petty and unfair by contrast
The bill was kept In the Finance Com
ufttee until October 3. when it was re-
ported back
Parliamentary speaking. il was the
same BILL Actually. however it was as
If a blue pencil had been drawn through
every word Of it except be IL enacted -
and a new bin substituted. The measure
was then perfunctorily discussed until
October 20. when Congress adjourned.
No effort was made by the Senate TO pass
its bill The two party measures. the
House bin and the Senate bill. had been
gotten before the country. and that was
all anybody had expected-even IL few
did hope for more. Congress had been
p in continuous session longer than ever
before in the history of the natiOn-32I
days. A possible exception to this state
ment might be made Of the Congre IS
which recessed from time 10 time dur
ing the Johnson administration, and was
only technically in session.