New-York tribune., 1910-12-22
6HEDAyINWAS ASHINGTON

necessary 1Or lCnSWOTtn " SPSTAAS
this kind of tariff commission" because
Mr. Underwood had indicated that he would
moi object to a tariff commission composed
exclusively Of members of Congress. WHICH
would, of course, differ from the existing
tariff commission of the two houses only
in that it would mean joint instead OF sep
arate meetings, and which would fail Ut
,erly to remove the determination Of the
facts on which a tariff is based from po-
litical influences. This attitude on the part
of the Democrats makes 1t all the more
imperative that tariff legislation be accom-
plished at this session. The existing Tarfn
Board is doing satisfactory work. buf IL Is
dependent on appropriations which must
he made each year, Without legislation
providing a permanent annual appropria-
ton the board would be left stranded should
the Democratic House or the next Con-
gress refuse to make the necessary appro-
priation. With such legislation as the
President Is demanding. only the affirma-
tive action of tho two houses would De er-
fective to abolish the board or TO deprive
It of the necessary funds. and. so long as
ths. Senate remained Republican, no such
legislation could be enacted.
THE LORIMER REPORT.-The Lorlmer
report, which was made to the Senate to-
day, carries on its face logic which II
will be difficult to get away from Tpose
who preferred the charges OF br'pery III
connection with Mr.. Lorirner's election TO
the Senate have never made any claim that
they could connect the Senator directly
with such bribery. and the investigating
committee found no evidence OF such con-
necttou. That certain members OF the
Illinois Legislature were bribed the COM
p,ittee appears to believe, but inasnauch as
no connection ss established between such
bribery and MT. Lorimer. the committee
finds that It cannot hold him guilty, 1t
then takes UP the question of whether
those alleged to have been bribed were suf-
hcient In number to have affected the re-
suit. and finds that only seven votes are
alleged to have been purchased and that,
after eliminating these, there remained SUI
flcient votes to elect Mr.. Lorimer. under
which circumstances the committee holds
the election of Senator Lorimer valid
Senator Beveridge, member of the COM
mittee, declined to commit himself either
for or against the report He explained his
course by asserting that he had not had
sufficient time TO examine the record,
despite which fact he sought TO have a
day set for vote on the report. an effort
which was defeated on the ground that
the report being privileged" 1t could be
called up by any Senator at any time. and
therefore, such an agreement would be
sunerfluous Senator Frazier, Democrat
from Tennessee. filed IN Chicago state
ment of his views, which involve legal
difference with the majority
yor@GnY =
fort of Representative Rainey, of Illinois,
to secure the adoption of resolution au-
thorizing an investigation Of the question
of what President Roosevelt paid for trans
portation before the railway rate bill was
passed and before Congress made a special
appropriation to cover the travelling ex-
penses of the President is generally re-
garded as piece of demagogy. 1t Is well
know, that President Roosevelt, as did his
predecessors before him. accepted free
TRANSPORTATION from the railroads. precisely
as it is known that the railroads Wed With
each other IN their efforts to secure the
privilege Of carrying the Chief Executive
free From their point Of view It was a
good business investment, resulting IN the
sale Of thousands OF excursion tickets to
those points along the line at which the
President spoke. etc, as well as securing
highly desirable advertising for the rail-
road In the news columns of the news
papers. President Roosevelt never made
any secretA of the fact that he received
transportation without charge before the
railway rat3s bill was passed. and 1t was be-
cause that Legislation, which he had dcne
most to secure. forbade all free transpor-
alton that he asked Congress to make an
appropriation to cover the expenses of the
Chief Executive when he travelled.
G. c. H