The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1909-04-09
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
Washington, D. G., March 2Oth


| main of Finance Committee and recog-
| nized as the Republican leader of the
Senate. As soon as the Bacon resolu-
| ton was laid before the Senate and be-
fore any of the Democratic senator's
could get the floor, Mr.. Aldrich was
| recognized and declared that "The Re-
publican majority of the Senate will
properly be held responsible by the
country for the character of the tariff
| legislation to be enacted at this session,
and also for pr ompt action. The busl-
ness of the whole country is suffering
from the unce rtainty as to what Will be
done. Two great bodies are divided by
| definite line of thought on this sub
iect, with few exceptions, on both
sides of the chamber. The Republl-
can party cannot evade the responsible
ty, and there is no disposition on its
mart to do so" Mr.. Aldrich ssi6 he
had partic pated in the consideration
| of eight tariff measures since he came
to Congress, five of which were Re-
publican and three Democratic, and
that in every case the framing of the
legislation was left to the party in
power. In the case of the Wilson
German bill, for example, Mr.. Aldrich
pointed out that the Democratic ma
| iority on the finance committee declln-
ed to let the Republican members have
anything to do with the framing of the
| measure, that this was right and had
been the practice for more than fifty
years.
We're it the purpose Of the Payne
| bill to cheaper the necessarries OF life,
it is only fair to presume that some
attention'wou be given to the sugar
| schedule. That tariff on sugar, the
oretically, is intended as protection
| to the cane of Louisiana and the beets
of the northwest; actually, however,
as everybody knows. its most impor-
tant effect is to protect the Sugar trust,
whose business is chiefly the refinin G
rather than the original production of
sugar. This is accomplished by max
| ing the duty on refined sugar SO much
higher than the duty on raw sugar that
the refining business is given monep-
ly in this county. AS matter of fact,
some attention has been given the sug-
gar schedule, 2s-10e of one per cent
is added to the tariff tax on the most
universally consumed of all the neces-
saries of life.
The statement of the federal Treasury
for March, is considered the most
encouraging which it has issued since
the fiscal year began. The tide OF
business depression seems to have turn
ed suddenly. According to this state
ment the Treasury receipts have
materially increased and the steady en-
largement of the deficit account has
been checked. There was gain in
March of $7,60O,00O in customs reve-
nues over the revenues Of March 1908,
the gain in receipts from all sources
was IS, 761 900
Senior Carlos Garcia Valez, the new
Cuban Minister to the United States, is
not altogether pleased with the re-
Gently attributing to him scepticism as
to the stability of the Cuban govern
ment, and has made it known that he
considers his government perfectly
stable At the same time he has taken
occasion to express his admiration of
American ideas and his gratitude to
the Americans for their disinterested
attitude toward the Cubans.
A we'll informed representative of
the iron and stee! industry in Washing
ton this week, stated that wage reduc-
tons throughout that industry during
the next six months will be the most
sweeping and general that have been
know to the industries of the country
in twenty years. How much of the
present and threatened reductions in
wages in steel and other industries are
attributable to tariff revision; how much
to depressed business conditions follw-
ing the financial disturbance WEIGH pre-
vailed during the past year, how much
to unsettled conditions which must
await REIMBURSEMENT to the new sche'
dulles of duties proposed, are few OF
for embarrassing questions confronting
the Republicans of the new administra-
ton and both houses of Congress. The
announcement from Pittsburg that the
Jones and Laughlin Company will make
ten per cent reduction in wages is
said to be only the beginning of these
troubles. By many, if not the MAORI
ty, this movement is recognized as the
ever ancient, ever new game of the Re
publican corporate interests to reduce
wages in order to frighten Congress-
into caring for their Industries. Ii
places the Republican majority in thu
House in most embarrassing position te
. have such a situation precipitated by
the iron and steel trade at this juno
ture, when all their plans seemed to be
shaping up right for an agreement up
on a rule which the tariff bill is to be
speedily passed in the House.
MONEY TO LEND IN SUMS
TO SUIT