The Washington herald., 1911-08-23
DESIRABLE LEGISLATION
RESULTS FROM SESSION

dictated by Senator La Toilette.
Many Democrats are already beginntnz
10 fear that this precedent may rise up
TO emoarrass them next December. Presi-
oent Taft already has announced that
ne VIII recommend a revision OF the
wool and other schedules In the next ses-
sion OF Congress. Suppose, Democratic
Senators are saying. the President should
recommend the revision of the wool
schedule based on a duty Of IS per cent
for raw wool, which was the rate pro-
posed by Senator La Toilette, how can
the Democrats, 1T Is asked, having al
ready committed themselves to the propo-
sition OF accepting a protective measure
if 1t lowers the duties, refuse to support
President Tafts wool revision bill? And
II they do support downward revision
offered by the tariff board what will be-
come Of the political capital that they
had hoped they had piled up in the extra
session Of Congress?
More disturbing still to the Demo-
cratic mind is the suggestion that the
President and tariff board might recon-
mend a reduction even as low as g per
cent, the figures contained In the Under
wood-La Toilette compromise bill. The
Democrats are frankly puzzled to guess
just what will be the political effect OF
their tariff revision efforts Of the special
session. They acknowledge that Presi-
dent Taft when he enters the arena
with his legislative programme next De-
cember will occupy the center Of the
stage, and will be likely to obscure the
efforts Of the previous session provided
a M fa tr-{th Cot
It apparently will be the politics of the
situation to see to 1t that the Presi-
dent does not make a success Of his
programme next December, but how
they are going to do this and still be
consistent with the record formed in the
last few months is difficult to see.
As to the Republican insurgents, the
special session that has just ended has
practically been a death blow to their
aspirations. The Presidents Canadian
reciprocity programme started a back
fire on them which they have never been
able to put out Their Inconsistency
toward reciprocity was further en-
phasized in the closing days Of the ses-
sion by their voting against the very
tariff propositions which they had been
urging before the country and their en-
tire course Of action has been exposed as
designed solely to embarrass Mr.. Taft
and promote La Follette's Presidential
boom.
The insurgents already have indicated
their intention to attack the tariff re-
vision recommendations that the Presi-
dent may make next December. and they
undoubtedly will be found aiding the
Democrats in an effort to discredit the
findings of the tariff board and seeking
to block Mr.. Taft's chances Of obscuring
by success the record of failure made bv
the Democratic insurgent combination in
the session just ended.
One Of the most important political de-
velopments Of the special session has
been the reputation Of William Jennings
Bryan by the House Of Representatives.
On several occasions Mr.. Bryan has
sought to dictate the policy Of the House,
but has been promptly and emphatically
turned down No single incident in the
session more than this has served to put
Oscar w. Underwood into a place OF
Mr.. Underwood has openly
assumed the leadership against Bryan,
and the House members have plainly in
dicated their willingness to follow him.
Incidentally, one Of the tragedies Of the
special session has been the utter eclipse
Of Speaker Champ Clark by Leader Un-
derwood. Mr.. Clark. stripped of the pow
ers which once made the Office OF Speaker
so powerful has turned out to be a mere
fgurehea5 in the House organization,
while Mr.. Underwood and the members
Of the Ways and Means Committee have
quickly assumed the scepter.
The extra session which began last
March also saw the introduction in the
House Of Representatives Of so-called
literalfzed rules in regard to the govern
Ing Of the conduct Of the business In that
body. 1t was noted, however. that a gag
rule was just as easily obtained and as
readily adjusted when the occasion de-
manded 1t under the regime of Demo-
cratic reformers as 1t was back in the
days when "Czar" Cannon held sway.
No account of the activities Of the spe-
cial session would be complete without
to the Investigations Practt-
cally every conceivable subject under
the sun was mentioned at one time or
another in the House as a possible sub
ject for investigation. One Republican
growing facetious noted that baseball
had been overlooked and promptly in
troduced a resolution providing for
investigation of the national
game. Nearly every committee In the
House was busy digging away on one
hing or another and some of them are
still at work and will be pursuing the
game even up to the opening Of the sss-
sion in December.
OF the Democratic Investigations, how
sver. they have not been able to dis
lose any serious offense committed by
Republican rule, such as the misapplica-
ion OF funds. The Democrats have
rankly been disappointed in this respect.
rhey hoped to uncover trails which might
cad to scandals as sensational as those
hat marked the investigations instituted
W Democrats when they last gained
,ower In the House Of Representatives.
The only questionable transaction the
Democrats have succeeded in uncovering
involves only $3.50 in the State Depart
nent, and this matter may have grown
ntirely out Of a now obsolete system Of
The committee which are
the United States Steel
Corporation and the sugar industry In
his country have devoted themselves
hiefiy to reviewing ancient history.
The entire session has seen two inves-
igations started into the elections OF
United States Senator's by alleged cor
upt means. reinvestigation Of the
.orimer case was ordered. and Senator
Of Wisconsin. has also been