The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-12-22

Inc speech u OoCTcIdIy VI CuC
Treasury MacVeagh has aroused the
old guard in the tariff fight, principal
ly because he said that he consider
ed the Payne Tariff bill as merely an
incident in the reform of the whole
tariff system. There is little doubt
but that the new tariff law was ac-
copied by the country in just that
spirit, and that with the exception of
the hide-bound high tariff men, it
was believed that the passage of the
would be followed by a
thorough study of the question by a
nom puartisan commission, so that
the administration and the country
would have reliable Data ON which
to Judge of the fairness and wisdom
of the various schedules. This does
not meal that we are to be upset
again by tariff revision Immediate
ly, for it will take the commission
appointed by the president two or
three years to arrive at any satisfac-
tory conclusion.
The provision for the commission
in the tariff law was accepted in lieu
of the permanent commission asked
for by the tariff reform element. The
president in his first message to con
gress distinctly stated that the COM
mission would 500 get to work, and
that pending a report he favored
leaving the matter as 1t is at pres
ent. 1t may be found possible I'M
der the new conditions to take up
one schedule at a time and bring that
into line with the conditions as they
change, and thus save the country
the disturbance which always accom-
panied an attempt to revise the whole
law at once. This would appear to
| be the ideal method of tariff reform
in the future, for it would prevent
| the bargaining by members Of the
| Senate and House by which the va
rious interests have been able to
prevent reduction in the rates of
duty on their products.
The. appointment of a commission
| to study the tariff and report on
the various schedules will, at any
rate, mark the beginning of a bust
ness-like treatment of the subject.
The prospect Of any amendment OF
the Sherman Antitrust law at this
session has been postponed by the
| recent decision of one of the lower
courts, as new constructions lave
been placed on the law, and con-
gress will wish to wait the final
word of the supreme court and know
Just what the law is and "a accom-
plish, before attempting to change it.
The reform of the currency will
have to await the report of the COM
mission which has been studying
the subject, and this can hardly be
made during the life of the present
congress. Any changes desired by
the administration in the Interstate
Commerce law will have to be
studied carefully by the president
and his advisers as well as the pub
lie, and the matter will hardly be in
shape for action this winter.
It seems safe to assume, therefore,
that the work of congress during the
next three months will be of a rou-
tine character, and that the session
will not only be devoid of any legis-
lation calculated to hurt business,
but also of important congressional
action. This will suit the financial
interests as we'll as the leaders in
our commercial life, and allow of
plans being made without any dan
gel of their being upset by radical
legislation or a long drawn-out
wrangle in congress. This does not