Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1910-08-19
Vital Washington News.
BY TAvENNER.
Special Correspondent of The Sentinel.
WASHINGTON. D. C.. Ausust is. 1910


Special Correspondent of The Sentinel
Washington, D. c.. August IS, 1910.
All over the land the regular Republican
candidates for Congress are preparing to
ask for election or reelection on the record
OF President Taft and the last Congress.
Aside from the tariff revision, with which
the public is already familiar, the predomi-
mating features Of the platform on which
the standpatters will make their final des-
perate stand are the postal bank bill and
the so-called railroad regulation bill.
Ihe railroad bill as passed was better
than the existing law. improvements hav-
ing been forced by Democrats and Insur-
Gents The original draft was one of the
most vicious pieces of legislation proposed
IN Congress- for years. President Taft sent
TINS bill to Congress with his personal in
dorSement and asked that it be passed
without amendment.
IL provided for commerce court which
would have destroyed the usefulness of
the interstate commerce commission and
MADE appeal to the higher tribunals i'm
possible.
1t took the railroads from under the anti
trust law, and would have permitted them
to make what rates they pleased without
any effective check.
II legalized existing MERGERS between
existing lines it contained a joker provis-
ion to regulate the issuing of railroad secu-
rites.
The Democrats and INSURGENTS forced
some improvements. but were prevented
by administration influences from putting
in provisions which would have been Of
real value to the people. such as physical
valuation of the roads as basis Of rate
regulation.
Such was the railroad bill that would
have become law had President Taft had
his way.
The DEMOCRATIC Position.
Republican spellbinders have intimated
that the Democratic party stands for free
trade. Absolute free trade is impractical
with the United States. Every country in
the world. including Great Britain, levies
some tariff, and this country must always
do so.
The Democratic position on the subject
is substantially as follows:
First, the government should never col
lect one penny more for revenue than ne
cessary 10 administer its affairs with rigid
economy
Second, the lowest rate that will yield
the greatest amount of revenue should be
imposed.
Third, luxuries should always bear the
highest revenue duties.
Fourth. experience has indicated the
wisdom of ad valorem duties as being the
correct practice.
Fifth. revenue duties should be laid 80
as to operate with equality throughout the
union. discriminating neither for nor
against any class or section.
Sixth. absolute necessities should 20 on
the free list.
Seventh. there should be imposed reve-
nue. duty upon practically all imports, with
certain exceptions. These exceptions should
be determined by the test
Imports coming in competition with
trust-cOntrolled products should be placed
on the free list, and articles of absolute
necessity should be imported free of duty.
AS To POSTAL BANKS.
Congress passed the kind of postal saw
ings bank bill that Mr.. Taft wanted. The
effect will be, it is thought by those who
have given study to the act as passed. to
drain local communities of the money de-
posted In postal savings banks. Had the
Democrats and Insurgents had their way,
a postal bank bill such as was desired by
the people would have been passed. But
through the influence of the administration
Aldrich was able to thwart the will Of the
people and secure the passage Of a bill
which will give Wall Street the control of
the peoples money as never before.
The TARIFF COMMISSION.
Still another feature of the Taft record
is the tariff commission law, also a gold
brick. II creates a commission without
powers. and gives the special interests
$250,000 Of the peoples money to carry
on the campaign against honest revision
Of the tariff on the basis Of equalization Of
the cost Of production at home and abroad.
PNcHoT WISE To PROTECTION.
Ex-Forester Clifford Pinchot has ideas on
other things besides conservation. At
dinner given recently he declared that the
nation had lost confidence In Congress be-
cause il represented special interests rather
than the people. Continuing. he said:
"And Of this there could be no better
illustration than the tariff. The tariff. I'M
der the policy of protection was originally
a means to raise the rate of wages. II
has been made tool to increase the cost
of living
THE cotton cloth schedule was increased
in the face of the uncontradicted public
testimony of the manufacturers themselves
that it ought TO remain unchanged.
THE steel interests by a trick secured
an indetensible increase in the tariff on
structural steel
THE sugar trust stole from the govern
ment like petty thief, yet Congress. by
means Of dishonest schedule, continues
to protect it in bleeding the public" (Re-
publican papers, please copy
A FRANK ADMISSION.
Representative Chas. Littlefield. Of Maine.
now admits that the plank in the last Re-
publican national platform regarding in
functions was put there to placate the labor
leaders and with no intention Of its being
carried out He carries his frankness to
an even greater extent and says the plank
is perfectly nOn-cOmmittal" and means
nothing, being simply dishonest trick to
lure the unwary nottingham and delude
him with the belief that the Republican
party was his friend. II the truth was
told, II would no doubt reveal that the
tariff revision plank was another dishonest
plank, never intended Of fulfillment. and
that the whole platform was a tissue Of
falsehoods and false pretense.