The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1909-07-14
LIMITS DEFINED
New Tariff Measure Having
Reached Conference Com
mittee, the Best and Worst
Become Known
PENNSYLVANIANS TO THE FORE

States Interests Will be Carefully
Guarded.
The tariff bill nears completion and
the indications are that 1t will receive
the signature of President Taft seV-
eral weeks before the time for the
setting in of fall trade, leaving moth
ing to stand in the way OF the re-
newed period of prosperity so long
anticipated. The bill Is now in con-
ference committee having been sent
there by the House by a vote OF li6
to 15l, after its passage in the Senate
by a vote of As to "a. The bill as
passed by the Senate carries Sl1
amendments made by that body to
the measure as il was originally re-
ceived from the House.
II any industry in the United States
has been halted because of a fear that
some duty in the Payne-Aldrich bill.
as the measure will hereafter be
known, might be fixed at too high q
rate it is new in position to know just
how high that duty can go at the out
side. On the other hand, II any manu-
f%acturer has hesitated until he was
assured just how low a rate might
be decided OIL for his product, he now
knows the worst. for now that the
tariff bill has reached the conference
stage no rate may be arranged from
this time on that will be lower or
higher than the limit fixed either in
the House or the Senate. In other
words, the worst that can happen is
determined, and so is the best, and
the ultimate rates will be within the
lines thus drawn.
Two of Pennsylvania most promi-
nent men are members of the confer
ence committee-Senator Boies Pen
rose and Representative John Dalzell.
With this representation members Of
the Pennsylvania congressional dele
cation confidently predict that the
manufacturers of the Keystone state
will be fully protected and that they
will be satisfied with the measure the
committee will report back to the
House and Senate.
As a member of the finance COM
mittee Senator Penrose was able to
increase drastic reductions in the
Dingley rates adopted by the House.
Senator Penrose's friends have re-
peatedly congratulated him upon the
splendid record he made during the
deliberations Of the Senate on this
new tariff measure. Mr.. Penrose's
vigilance in the interest of the Penn.
sylvania manufacturer and laboring
man was never relaxed for an instant
from the time the bill was reported
to the Senate until II was finally
passed by that body. One of the last
amendments agreed to was offered
by the senior Pennsylvania Senator
and It was one that insures protec-
ton to an important branch of the
iron and steel industry of this Com
monwealth, increasing as it does the
duty on fish plates used in railroad
construction.
That both Senator Penrose and Mr..
Dalzell should be in the conference
by reason of their special knowledge
of the matters that will be in dispute
between the two houses and because,
also, of their proved ability to deal
with important questions. cannot be
successfully challenged. The finance
and ways and means committees, of
which they are members, are the two
principal committees Of Congress. APP
pointment to one or the other is
recognition of special fitness. High
rank on either is evidence Of ability
of the first class. In Congress the
natural law of the survival of the
fittest works with less check than in
almost any other field that might be
mentioned. Leadership is won only
by those equipped to lead. The two
Pennsylvanians referred to occupy the
positions they do in each branch of
Congress, because they have earned
them. Their right to be in the con-
ference cannot be questioned. there
fore, for any except reasons of geog-
raphy or opposition to Pennsylvania
interests. II will be reassuring TO
Pennsylvanians to have Senator Pen
rose and Representative DalZell In
the conference. They, with others of
this state in the House and Senate,
have prevented a threatened absolute
slaughter Of the interests of this COM
monwealth. In the final process OF
perfection of the tariff bill they will
be able to safeguard what has been
preserved against the attacks of the
Middle West, the head and front of
adverse sentiment and action.
In the minds of many people, APP
parently, it is still a very much vexed
question as to whether the new meas
ure is a genuine compliance with the
spirit of the Chicago platform. Just
now the answer to that suggestion de-
ponds upon the point of view. One
careful analysis demonstrates that,
Senate embraces SAT amendments and
carries many increases as compared
with it's provisions when reported by
the House, there is a revision down.
ward all along the line as contrasted
with the Dignley rates. That being
the case the Republican party has not
been recreant to It's own declarations
of last year nor defiant of the wishes
of President Taft, un~sustained charges
to the contrary Notwithstanding. Nat
urally the Democrats are making
much of this phase of the situation