The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-05-07
The TARIFF SITUATION
Disturbing REPUBLICANS

make it my business to ask questions
about every schedule as we go along
with the view of getting at the facts !;
shall pursue this policy at the risk
of making myself a nuisance in the
senate. l feel that the country has
a right to know"
Senators Cummins, Dolliver, Nelson,
Clapp, LaFollette, Bristow, Crawford,
Borah, and others have decided to
pursue the same policy. Certain SEIZED
ules have been assigned to certain IF
the dissatisfied senators for special in
vestigation. Mr.. Dolliver, for instance,
will make a speciality of the cotton
goods and the wooden schedules. He
has said that he is prepared to show
the country what an outrage these
schedules are. In the meantime the
boss of the senate" smiles and says,
Let them have their say" He be-
lieves he has the votes to put his
programme through If he lacks votes
on the Republican side of the cham
Der he knows where to find them On
the Democratic side.
Each wing of the dominant party is
still laying seige to the White House,
but neither is getting the encourage
ment it would like The President
shows no disposition to help make the
bill; he continues to insist that con-
gress has its functions and he has his
Within the last day or two the sug-
gestion has been made to him that, If
he does not desire publicly to offer ad-
vice, he ought to tell the Aldrich-Hale
men privately that the demand of the
people must be needed or a veto may
be expected.
The capital is overun with lobbyists, |
The beneficiaries under the present |
law are leaving no stone unturned in |
their effort to have things arranged |
as they want them. While al |
this pulling and hauling is going on |
the legitimate business interests of the |
country are calling loudly for speedy
action.
The senate appears possessed of
strange confidence that the Supreme
Court would affirm the constitutional-
ty of an income tax The opponents
Of the tax are taking no chances IF
letting it go by. They are careful not
to assail the principle, but oppose
the Cummins-Bailey measures on the
ground that the Aldrch-Payne bill
will bring revenue enough. Senator
Aldrich knows very well that he could
lot accept the income tax and at the
same time resist the pressure for
material reductions of the duties all
llong the line. The Cummins Republi-
ans, so called, claim twenty-one votes
or the income tax idea. This would
i've them a majority of five with the
old Democratic vote. They expect
ONE losses and are not confident of
uccess; but, on the other hand, neith-
+ are the regulars. Probably the
ituation is best summarized in the
lords of one of the most sagacious
I senators: "All the Democrats will
ote for the income tax if they are
ure it will not go through" The
of the position of the advo-
ates of the tax is that they cannot
e sure that it will be found consti
ltional. If it is not, and material re-
uctions in the duties have been made.
course an actual slump in the rev
lue would follow.
Suggestions are current here that
enator Aldrich has made MANY duties
Sh that he may trade them down in {
inference. This might seem to be an
lcouraging fact for the reductionists. !
ere it not that whatever Senator AL {