The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-07-15
A SWIFT KICK IN STORE FOR
THE HOUSE.

What character of evidence must be
produced TO convince the trainers OF the
proposed new tariff law that they are
enaeting legislation which VIII be I'M
satisfactory from ocean to ocean and
from borcer line to border line? Thus
far there has been no disposition 10
heed the warning which comes rumblng
from every part of the country. The
Senate went merrily on its way, fol
lowing blindly the trail blazed by Sena-
tor Aldrieh, and the few members of
that body hho fought the increased
duties from start to finish were classed
as disturbers of the peace who were not
fit TO remain within the Republican
fold.
Unless all signs fail these insurgents
viii be the ones who will find the
people at their backs when they next
seek favor at the polls. And the ones
who ignored the common demand for
downward revision need not be sur
prised to find the people at their
threats
There has been disposition to make
light Of these protests against in
creased duties. They have been brushed
aside as unworthy Of consideration.
Senator Lodge of Massachusetts but
echoed the sentiments of the maioritv
on his side of the Senate chamber when
he declared the ultimate consumer to
be a myth. Few there were who pub
licly expressed sympathy with the pug
nacious Hepburn IN his declaration
that he would build tariff walls SO
high that not a dollars worth OF
foreign goods could be imported if
there was a possibility that the goods
could De manufactured in the United
States. They might as well have done
so, however, for some of the duties
are so outrageously high that the i'm
portations viii be negligible quantity.
Il may be some time before the
United States Senate will feel the re-
buke which the country seems certain
to give Congress. Members of the House
viii not be so fortunate. In a little
more than a year they viii have an ac-
counting with their constituents. When
that time arrives the people will have
had an opportunity to become thorough /
~ familiar with the operation of the
new tariff law. The increased cost of
living will be fresh in their minds As
they 60 TO the ballot boxes. It will not /
do for a member of the House who has
been wrong" on this tariff bill to 90
before his people and try to befog their
minds with statistics, sd valorems.
specifics, and the like. The iniquities
of this tariff bin are many, but it has /
accomplished one good-it has aroused /
the people to a point where they are
looking into the tariff question for
themselves. They are no longer depend /
fng upon campaign literature for in
formation on that subject.
The great mass of people in this coun-
try are vigorously protesting against
the passage Of the bin in anything ike |
its present shape. That this sentiment
IS not confined to any one section of
the country is thoroughly demonstrated
by the scores Of statements given tn /
representatives OF the Munsey News
papers. The men who have stood
sponsor for these statements represent
practically every line Of trade in the
United States. They make no reserva-
tions in their condemnation Of the bin. |
These expressions of opinion are not
confined to one city. They come from
Pennsylvania where the hosiery indus |
try fourishes. Mr.. Payne wants to in
crease the duty or hosiery. They come
from Massachusetts,. Senator Aldrich. /
aided and abetted by Senator Lodge.
has written enormous increases into the
cotton schedule. They come from
Maryland, which viii be hit hard by the /
tariff pap" dished out to California
and Florida by the generous Aldrich.
New York is interested in almost
every schedule with the bill. and there
IS scarcely a business house in the
greatest city in America which is salts
fed The same is true Of Chicago. The
Munsey Newspapers have had investi-
gators at work in all Of the territory
mentioned, and these investigations
bring forth from every section the
unanimous declaration that the bill viii ]