Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-08-22
THE SPECIAL SESSION AND ITS
WORK.

1917, anu lue utClutu SCl eng IncIiuS
Of the Democratic party in the esteem
Of the public through it's wise leader
ship and its devotion to the cause of
tariff reform. the extra session of
Congress. terminating this week, has
been fruitful Of but one fixed result,
the passage Of the reciprocity treaty
with Canada. Inasmuch as Canada
has as yet, by its parliamentary cleo
tion. 70 endorse the treaty. even that
piece of constructive craftsmanship IN
the part of the Taft administration can
be properly considered as incomplete.
with its destiny undecided and with at
least a possibility of the American
work being negatiyed by a Canadian
revolt against its provisions.
The extra session was called primar-
tally to pass this reciprocity treaty.
Perhaps the administration may have
considered that this done Congress
should have adjourned without en-
deayoring to revise the tariff. But
having met the wishes of the executive
in this matter, and having also come
to his assistance in the passage in the
House of his pet arbitration treaties.
/ the Democratic party felt thoroughly
justified in casting about for some re-
/ form legislation on its own account.
The iniquities of the Payne Aldricn
tariff bill, iniquities that have been
acknowledged and denounced by pro
gressive Republicans as we'll as by
Democrats, and that with respect 10
the wollen schedule has brought down
the anathemas of the president him
self, demanded attention at the hands
OF party that stands committed to
the suppression Of the policy Of extor,
ton that has been practiced under the
guise of protection for American in
dustries for many years. Guided by
this determination, and doubtless not
without thought or two as to the
ACCESSIBILITY of accommodating material
for the campaign of next year, the
Democrats revised the infamous wool
en- schedule, gave the farmers the ben
eft Of free list, and also amended in
material respects the cotton schedule
under which manufacturers have
WaXed fat while their employees have
remained the poorest paid of any
industry in the land. Every one OF
these reform measures meets with {
presidential veto. Under the speciouE
plea that a Tariff Board" of experts
appointed under Republican legisla
ton, has not yet reported, the presi
dent has even swallowed his own de
| nunciations of the wooden schedule 4
absolutely indefensible" and continu
I ed it as the law of the land for som
months to come AS a result. tn
special session comes to close with
a out affording the country the slightes
relief from the eXactations that it SUI
ters from as a result of the "stanC
pat legislation of the last Republican
congress.
The record has been now Target,
made up for 1912. The Democratic
party has demonstrated to the salts
faction of the country that it can fol
low wise and sane leadership, that j
has able men, and stable men, at It
head in Washington, that its promise
as to tariff reform are genuine and no
to be lightly cast aside, and that it ha
, been welded into a compact workin
unit, capable of affording the countr
legislation that will adequately NEE
its needs. On the other hand. the Re
> publican party stands before the coun
try divided in policies and principles
= split into warning camps as a resul
t of the work of the special session. Re
= lief measures that We're acceptable |
the country at large, and that wer
especially vital to the great farmin
interests of the land as a means of re
dress from the eXtortion imposed up0r
them by high tariff on manufacture,
t good generally, have been vetoed b.
the president in obedience to the de
T. mands Of the Teactionary element il
his party. The country has had a con
elusive object lesson, one that is un
, mistakable, as to the attitude of tn
two great parties with regard to tn
tariff That it will show by its vote
in November Of next year that tn
Democratic attitude is the one tina
= appeals to its sense Of justice there i
hardly doubt No matter what eN
PLANTATION he may make. the vetoing O
! the three relief measures by Taft vii
' finally fix him in the public mind a.
the ally Of tariff system built in tn,
I interest Of the few at the expense o
r. the many. On that he must stand, an,
on that he will meet his defeat.