Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-04-30

Failure on Inee part OF IlG lbA
and forty-ninth congresses to pass the
two Morrison tariff bills did not deter the
Democrats in the house in the hfteth
congress from repeating their former e.
forts in the direction of a low tarin. Inc
Democratic majority had been dwindllng,
and was now down TO less than one
fourth Of what It had been when Morrl-
son tried TO pass his horizontal Dill
President Cleveland came forward win
a precedent-breaking annual message. us
every word was devoted TO the tariH'
which he sought to have made the issue
OF the presidential campaign, then ohiy
some seven months away.
The effect OF the message on the Demo-
Gratis in congress was remarkable, ana
brought down TO five the members OF
those opposing the policy or their own
party. Under these conditions II was
easy TO see that the third effort TO drive
a low tariff measure through Democrat
ic house would succeed. Roger O. Mills,
Of Texas, a dyed-in-the-wool low tariH
advocate, was made chairman OF ways
and means He and his committee tor
four months 10 report a new tarim Dill
The measure was in reality only partial
revision of the tariff. It extended the
free list, substituted many ad valorem
duties in the stead of specific duties, ana
reduced most of the high tariff schedules.
Wool was added to the free list, most
lumber and lumber products were put
there. Woolens were given duty OF AZ
per cent. Cotton goods came in for like
duty. Mr.. Mills got figures from the bu-
reau of statistics, going to show that the
total remission of duties under the Mills
bill would amount to S5O,O00OO0, of which
$50 coz, 900 would result from reduction in
duty; the remainder from additions to
the free list.
The house debated the bill for more than
than a month. The Republicans attack
ed it on many grounds. for the tariff had
now been a full-dedged party issue. First
they asserted that it had been framed by
farmers, and that the manufacturing
states had next to no representation on
Che committee that drew the bill. They
claimed, furthermore, that it had been
concocted secretly by the majority, ana
that the minority had been ignored until
the time of reporting the measure. They
got together a list of the articles affected
by the bill, and from that showed that
the cotton" states produced them to
value of S91, 900. while the other states
produced them to the value of 81, Il5,OOOOOO,
nearly twenty times as much. Then they
charged that free trade pamphleteers had
written the measure, and that clerks
were detailed from the treasury depart
ment to assist in making it as harmful
10 manufacturers as possible.
The Democrats responded by calling to
mind what the Republicans had said in
1888 At that time the Democrats were
plainly told that the Republicans were re-
sponsible to the country for what con-
gress then did, and that they were not
going to permit the Democrats to thwart
them in their efforts to live up to their
responsibility. Now it was the Democrats
who were telling that same thing TO 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 willing
TO practice itself that which II was
preaching to the north.
Most of the debate was in opposition
TO the bill There never has been tar
III bill considered in the house where the
majority was more lenient with the mi
! nority than the Democrats were with the
Republicans in the consideration of the
Mills bill. More than a hundred times the
committee of the whole took the parlia-
mentary journey to the house and back
in order to limit the debate on partic-
ular 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 together
as 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 convention met. The Demo-
Gratis were about as badly divided over in
dorsing the Mills bill in terms as they
were over the proposition specifically to
/ reaffirm Is to l at Kansas City. But
| there was no Bryan TO lead them. The
bill was unanimously Endorsed by the
convention. but that Endorsement was not
made a part of the platform. 1t was a
/ sort of Parker gold telegram" promul-
gated. however, by the whole convention
instead of by the nominee. The Republic
cans denounced the Mills bill and came
out for the Randall idea of repeating high
| internal revenue taxes instead of lowering
| tariff duties Some of the newspapers
! enclosed whisky and tobacco in brack-
cts after the phrase internal taxes, "
and thereby made the Republican plat
form seem a 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 u with only four Democrats Vot-
ing against it, Samuel ]. Randall want
/ ed to be paired against the bill, but was
not. After this the scene shifted to the
/ other end of the capitol which was Re
publican. The senate was bitterly opposed
| to the Mills bill. The finance committee
got hold of it, and ostentatiously did the
| things the ways and means committee
failed to do.
| The committee accorded the fullest
| having allowed the minority-this time
the democrats-to participate in its
deliberations, and, in short, sought to
, make the course Of the house committee
look petty and unfair by contrast The
bill was kept in the finance committee
! until Oct 3. when IT was reported back.
| Parliamentary speaking, it was the
same bill. Actually. however, it was as
II a blue pencil had been drawn
| through every word OF it except ''be ii
] enacted" and a new bill substituted.
The measure was then perfunctorily
discussed until Oct. 20, when congress
adjourned. No effort was made by the
senate TO pass fits bill. The two party
measures, the house bill and the senate
biH had not been before, the country
land that was all anybody expected
even IL a few did hope for more. Con
gress had been in continuous session
longer than ever before in the history
of the nation-S21 days. A possible ex.
, | ca,tfov ~ .l,fr statement MIGHT he made