Catoctin clarion., 1910-02-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(FRoM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT

WASHINGTON, D. c., JAN. 29.
Senator Lodge caused vertible
sensation on the Democratic side OF
the Senate when he submitted official
tables of statistics showing that the
increase in prices is world wide and
prevails in free trade countries as we'll
as in the highly protected countries.
The Massachusetts, Senator pointed
out that the increased production OF
gold, which is the measure OF value,
is an important factor in higher prices.
He showed that cotton, which has
been on the free list for half CEN
tury, has shown steady advance in
price. Hides were placed Oh the free
list and the duty on boots and shoes
reduced from 25 to 10 per cent by the
Payne law, Mr.. Lodge said, and yet,
sincSt the enactment of that law, the
price of both hides and shoes has in
creased. When Mr.. Bacon inserted
that the high price of beef was due to
the tariff, the Massachusetts Senator
replied that this could not be so mas
much as this country is one OF the
greatest exporters of cattle and beef
in the world. He informed Mr.. Ba-
con that, under absolute free trade,
not pound of beef would be import
ed into the United States. Mr.. Ba-
con in his effort to hold the tariff re-
sponsible for higher prices, became
somewhat confounded when Mr..
Lodge wanted to know about lumber.
Most of the Democratic Senators in
cluding Mr.. Bacon, were opposed to
the placing of lumber on the free list
when the Payne bill was before Con-
gress. Replying, Mr.. Bacon said he
had voted for duty of 81 % thous-
and feet of lumber, not to protect the
American lumbermen, but because he
regarded this duty as revenue tariff.
There was general laughter when Mr..
Lodge replied that he was amused at
the f1exibility of revenue tariff and
how the revenue limit increased as it
approached a home industry.
Postal savings banks are to be.op-
posed in the Senate by the leading
constitutional lawyers on the Demo-
cratic side on the ground that this
legislation can not be enacted under
authority of the Constitution. Sena-
tors Bailey and Rayner will lead the
fight against postal savings depositor
les. Mr.. Bailey has ANNOUNCED that
he was partly responsible for the de-
feat of this legislation in the last
Congress and that he will be glad if
he can take like credit at the close of
this Congress. He fears that the
government is invading field which
should be left to private enterprise
and that ultimately the establishment
of postal banks will be followed by
other legislation for regulating pri-
vate business and centralizing govern
ment in Washington. Senator Cart
er, in charge of the bill, is one of the
most skillful parliamentarians in
Congress and under his leadership
there is little doubt that the Republ-
cans will be practically united in car
rying out the platform pledge of the
Chicago convention.
The political situation, if it may be
called a situation, is extremely in
teresting at present. 1t is less a sit
uation than moving picture. 1t is
both disintegrating and formative and
the interest is mainly in anticipating
ultimate possibilities. The insur-
gents have lost nothing of their con-
tidence and aggressive ness. The
standpatters have, apparently, lost
nothing of their obstinacy. President
Taft is walking the rope and balanc-
ing gracefully between the two fac
tions. The situation surpasses in in
terest anything on the stage or in fic-
ton. Last night there was a dinner
given by the Publishers Association
at Willard's Hotel. The President,
Speaker Cannon and distinguished
senator's were present. Senator Dol
liver OF Iowa, talking straight to the
Speaker of the House and to Mr..
Taft not fifteen feet distant, said that
an awakened public will no longer
allow tariff laws written in the offices
of the big interests" AS | under
stand it," he continued, an insur-
gent is merely a man who wants to
have bill read before it is adopted
and who demands protection against