New-York tribune., 1910-05-08
THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

efficiency of the fleet in all future wars
will depend In large measure on the ability
of the officers and men to make repairs
afoat 1t is commented that the naval
warfare of the future is likely to be SO fast
and furious as TO afford little opportunity
for a vessels returning to a navy yard for
repairs and ii is predicted that when it is
imperative there Is little probability OF
such a vessels getting into commission
again before the war ends. The experience
of the battIeship fleet In its cruise around
the world demonstrated the entire prac-
tica bility of making repairs afioat, for II is
a fact that the feet returned in quite as
good repair as that in which it sailed. and
it is in accordance with this view that Sec
retary Meyer is anxious TO improve every
opportunity TO promote the eff1clency OF the
personnel IN making repairs, quite apart
from the great economy which his plan viii
effect.
DEMOCRATIC INCONSISTENCY
Democratic members of the House have
determined unanimously to oppose the pro-
vision in the sundry civil bill appropriat-
ing s25O.Oe0 for the use of the Tariff Board.
This determination, inconsistent as 1t Is
with their professed desire for lower du-
ties. is doubtless due to a realization OF
the effective work which the Tariff Board.
armed with sufficient funds, is certain to
90. and to a further realization that il a
Republican administration either demon
strates the existing tariff TO measure the
difference between the cost of production
here and abroad enables the President
to secure such adjustment of the tariff
as is necessary to make it measure that
difference. the unhappy Democracy will be
obbed of its last claim to popular approval
and will lose the only issue on which 1t can
base an appeal for support. we are
heartily in favor of a tariff commission,
said Representative Underwood, Of Ala
bama. to-day, but We do not believe that
the power TO gather such information
should be intrusted to the President. There
is no provision in the proposed legislation
which compels the President to submit to
Congress the information procured by the
Tariff Board, and the House can never
draw a suitable tariff bill if its information
10 be filtered through the Executive"
This is in accordance with the custom of
the Democrats, to balk at every practical
eform because some impracticable method
would be more ideal. but it is not Gus
tom which commands public respect OF
course, the Democratic leaders realize per
fectly, as does the President, that. what
ever may be the merits of tariff commits
sion empowered to make recommendations
TO Congress, there is at present no posi-
bility of inducing Congress to create one,
whereas it is possible TO induce Congress
to provide the funds necessary for the
Tariff Board to procure all desirable in
formation, and it is wholly within the
power of Congress at any time to adopt a
resolution calling upon the President or the
Secretary of the Treaury for such informa-
tion as the board has procured.
MAY REDUCE MILEAGE-There is a
possibility that the Introduction by Rep
resentative Adair, of Indiana, of a resou-
ton providing that hereafter the mileage
Of members of the House shall be fixed at
two cents a mile. instead OF 10 cents. is
now the case may ultimately result in a
reduction Of this allowance. OF course, it
is impossible for members of Congress to
travel on mileage OF two cents. which would
barely cover their actual railroad fare, and
not that in some instances On the other
hand. there is no doubt that it costs some
and from Washington, and the agitation Of
the question caused by the Adair reSoIu-
ton may lead to d revision of the present
provision. whereby the allowance will be
made more nearly to conform to the ex-
penses actually incurred 6. G. H