The Lamar register., 1909-08-04
Washington Letter.

nave become ILdIteT Ol SohipieeSu
history, 1t will be found that never
before has such task presented IT.
self to a political party for ADJUST
ment, and it will be shown that only
a party having in view the best in
terests OF the whole country without
regard to section or class could have
finally agreed upon any bill whatever
1t would have been impossible for tn
DemocIatc party to have agreed. or
for the Populists or the Socialists
no party, excepting a body made up
Of men who could sacrifice personal
interests and sectional interests for
the best good of the whole country.
1t Is a most thorough vindication OF
Republicanism as embodied in the eX
ample of our President and party
ader and of our Senators and Rep
resentatfves in Congress. 1t has
shown as we could not have
known 1t in any other way. the per-
sonaI character Of Mr.. Taft and his
methods of carrying out what he be-
ueved to be wise and honest results.
There was no big stick flourished;
there were no threats used; there
was no coercion-simply calm and
deliberate persuasion until. for the
most part, he accomplished his pur-
pose.
At all times in our history the
members Of a.! political parties have
been more or less divided over the
schedules and rates of tariff law.
We are geographically SO vast a
country, and our interests are so
widely diversified that it would seem
almost impossible to harmonic and
agree on rates applicable to all sec
tions and all interests.and never was
this so apparent as at the present.
Naturally as production and con-
sumption increases and methods be-
come more varied. as machinery be
comes more effective. and as both
capital and labor increase In such
enormous volum es. as has been the
case during the last decade. the va
rious needs and wants Of different
sections must be very far apart. 1t
Is almost to be wondered at that any
tariff bill could be agreed upon by
these various interests. and by men
having such divergent views. and 1t
is to the honor and glory Of the Re-
publican party as a whole that 1t
could give the country a law agreed
upon by it's majority and signed by
IT'S president.
whether the operation OF the law vii
be succ cessful, whether we shall pros
per as we have under preceding tar
Ms. It remains to be seen whether
sufficient revenue will come. botl
from the duties on imports and the
internal revenue. 1t remains to be
seen whether importations will IN
crease to such an extent as to dis
place domestic productions. and # re-
mains to be seen whether we be-
come a country giving full employ
menf to our wage-earners at the
highest wages on the face Of the
earth, or whether the wages must be
reduced and the purchasing power OF
the people curtailed.
One thing. however. should result
from the operation Of the new law.
and that Is II not lower prices, GER
tainly no increase. There is not an
item in the bill that will warrant an
increase in price by the manufactur-
er or merchant-not one, and II this
is ATTEMPTED 1t will be an imposf
tion that should be resented by the
people, and not charged to the opera
zion Of the law. This has been Mr..
Taft's design and it has been the
thought in the minds OF those who
have agreed with him in the reduc-
tions carried by the bill, and should
this result obtain without a reduc-
ton Of wages. or without decrease
In the volume of employment. then
surely the work of the extra session.
OF 1909 will be Of inestimable value
to the country and rebound to the
promised It and carried out its pledg
es.
A recent incident in the reconstruc
tion of the Democratic Congressional
Committee rs very significant as to
its bearings upon the election Of 191:
This committee is now wholly Bry-
an commHtee-the opponents of Mr..
Bryan, notably, the secretary Repre-
sentative Clark, OF Florida, having
been ousted. It leaves no doubt
whatever in the minds Of the politi-
cal leaders that Mr.. Bryan means to
try for another nomination three
years hence, and that means, of
course, Republican success at the
polls should he be successful In the
convention. and at the present time
it looks as II MIR. Bryan might be sue
cessful In gaining the nomination be-
cause his oppon ents are as ever very
much divided, and there seems no
prospect of them getting together
upon any candidate. OF course 1t
III