New-York tribune., 1909-03-27
TIE TARLFF DEBATE.
enforced

Plans are now being made for regulating ana
limiting debate in the House OF Representatives
on the Payne tariff bill. 1t is desirable 10 aVoa
q waste of time in general discussion or In dis
c1ssion under the ffveminute rule which leadS
TO nothing II is apparent that neither pontlcdl
marty in the House desires TO prolong the gen
ar~,1 debate Party lines are not strictly drawn
NOWADAYS on the protection issue. The tendeh-
ciez and the net results of the revision reported
NV tho Wavs and Means Committee have the
annroyaI of z aiority of the members of each
Marty in the House. Such differences of opinion
as exist relate to details. There are Republicans
who think that certain duties are FOO low other
Republicans hold that certain duties are 100
high Some Democrats favor further reduclohS'
and other Democrats are protesting against re-
ductions already proposed Under such condl-
lions ii seems advisable to allow free and fair
discussion of the chief points in dispute. Each
constituency in the House has rights and inter
eSts and ought 10 be allowed to express ltS
wishes on the main questions at issue.
In the mast. when the tariff was more strictly
a partisan issue and the mnOrity's single pur-
pose in dealing with individual schedules was
10 make capital for itself and trouble Tor the
majority, a denial Of opportunities Tor mis-
chevous and insincere political manPuVrlng
was fully justified. The majority party agreed
as best il could on bill, and then safeguarded
it from attack except as whole. Inc righl 10
offer amendments to force votes on PaFIicu-
lar items was withheld, and the House passed
tariff measures many schedules in which might
have been modified to advantage had an oppor-
tunity been given to consult the wishes OF an
actuaI ma ioritv of the members. Political eXl-
eancies compelled many Representatives to vote
for bill and then to go over 10 the Senate ana
ask 10 have II amended.
The situation resulting greatly weakened the
authority of the House as factor IN tariH
legislation. The charge was made-and Coulu
not he denied-that the body TO which the Con
stitution assigned the duty of originating blls
for raising revenue had "railroaded' through
imperfect and undigeste1 legislation. represent
ing the views of the majority of its committee
on WAYS and Means but not stamped convincing
k with the approval Of the House as whole.
The Senate completely altered the Mckinley
and Wilson bills and materially amended the
Dinglev bill and it had in al three cases the
valid excuse for its substitutions that the House
had 10 great extent lodged embarrassing queS-
+ tions and left them for the coordinate hranch
10 settle. Consciousness on the part OF the
TJouse that if had avoided responsibility I'M
naired its ability to make a successful contest
for its own views against those of the Senate
Tho Tousa will he able to exert Il greater
moral Influence if it settles for itself existing
differences over the details of the tariff. Sew
eraI state legislatures have passed resolutions
deprecating the levying Of an Inheritance tax ny
the federal government on the ground that that
source Of revenue should he left exclusively 10
the states 1t is desirable that the House should
vote directly on this question. 1t would ne good
poIicv also TO allow votes on the lumber duties.
the tea duty. the paragraph putting hides on the
free list. the paragraphs increasing the duties
on hosiery and womens gloves. the Philippines
tbo xtr,7r1ro niumnm sections and
other nortions of the bill over which there are
differences of opinion. both among Republicans
and among Democrats. Facilitating test votes
on such disputed points would facilitate the
massage Of the bill. make it represent the de
clared sentiment of the House and give that
body firm ground TO stand on when dealing later
with the Senate amendments TO the bill.