New-York tribune., 1910-12-08
TFrom The Tribune Bureau.
WASHINGTON Decen


CUMMINS SCORES oNE.-By his inoo-
duction OF an amendment to the Senate
and House rules by which, if 1t is adopted.
no amendment to bin revising a tarih
schedule will he in order If it involves
any schedule other than that which the
original measure seeks to change Senator
Cummins has rather scored one over the
stand patters'' who dislike the amend
ment but who cannot oppose il without in
jury to themselves and their party. OF
course. the chief objection to such an
amendment is that il Is in the direction of
closure in the Senate. but X is not closure.
and there is little doubt that popular
sentiment is impatient OF the jealousy with
which Senators have sought to forestall
anything of that nature. The Democrats
are quite as earnestly opposed to the Cum
minis proposition as the regular Republi-
cans. In fact, they entertain greater
dread of any progress in the direction Of
closure than do the Republicans, but it
will be fortunate for the regulars If they
can shoulder the responsibility of defeat
ing the Cummins proposition on the minor
ity rather than compass it's defeat them
selves Those who have observed the pro-
cedure of the two houses of Congress, and
rule. have no wish to see one adopted in
the Senate. but ii is doubtless true .aiat
they realize the disadvantages far more
keenly than does the man in the street or
the man back home Senator Cumminss
amendment however. is not. as has been
said. closure rule and 1T does obviate
an obstacle which has long been held up
as insurmountabIe whenever the advisa-
bility Of revising any single tariff schedule
has been approached. 1t has always been
insisted and not without reason. that were
a measure reaSjusting the duties of d sim
gle schedule brought before the Senate the
Democrats for partisan purposes would
subject it TO an avalanche of amendments
opening UP q dozen and even every para
graph in the tariff Law, causing an endless
debate and in effect fiIbustering until
nothing of moment could he accomplished
It is TO ohviate the possibility of such pro-
cedure that Mr. Cumrnins's amendment is
designed and its defeat can hardly be
achieved without serious embarrassment
tc the stand patters.
COMPLETE EXONERATION.-The COM
plete exoneration of Secretary Bal'inger
bv a ma jority of the investigating commit
tee has long been expected ny all who fol-
Vowed the Investigation with Intelligence
and without prejudice, but the lucid and
convincing character of the report is the
occasion of the utmost satisfaction 10 the
President and TO Judge Ballinger and his
friends The committee handles the entire
subject most iudicially. gives no evidence
of jnpatience with those who preferred the
charges. which it finds wholly unfounded.
and says neither any fact proved, nor ali
the facts put together, exhibit MI Bal
Iinger as being anything but a competent
and honorable gentleman. honestly and
faithfully performing the duties of his hisn
office with a view single to the public IN
terest'' This can be no news to those who
followed the daily accounts of the invesu-
CATION which appeared in The Tribune, al
though it may occasion surprise to those
who read the biased reports which ap-
peared in some quarters. The Democrats
are exceedingly anxious to make some
nolitical capital out of the investigation,
but appear TO he at a loss As to how beSt
to achieve their end. The proposition most
favored to-day is to move in the House,
the adoption of the minority report, which,
could il be accomplished. would force
show of hands The Democrats believe
they could line up their party TO vote
| soltdlv for the minority report, and that
! There would be a sufficient number OF IN
sureents who shared their view. or were
afraid 10 vote according to their conVlc-
tioos to effect the adoption Of the minor
itv statement. It is quite possible. how