Saint Mary's beacon., 1911-06-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Washington, ID. O., June /, 1911
By CLYDE Fl. TAvENNER.
After having worked eighteen
years for the admissipn OF Arizona and
New Mexico as separate states OF the
union the Democratic majority OF
the House found il q genuine labor
OF love 70 pass the statehood resolu-
tion.
In voting for the admission of the
territories as states, the House
neither indorsed or condemned the
recall OF judges. What the House
actually did was 70 indorse local
self government and the rightof the
state TO control its own affairs.
For 60 years New Mexico has
been at the doors OF Congress for
admission. Arizona has also long
contended its right TO statehood.
The 1908 democratic platform pied
ged the Immediate admission OF
these territories as separate states. "
This pledge was carried out before
the Democrats had been in control
of the House three months, which
action was in striking contrast TO
the jugglery the statehood measures
have been receiving year after year
at the hands OF the now minority OF
the House.
The debate in the statehood res o.
luton indicated plainly what would
have been the result had the repub.
licans still been in the majority.
They would have admitted New
Mexico with the gerrymsnder OF her
legislature, and would have made
the recall OF judges a pretext for
keeping Arizona indefinitely out OF
the union. This is plainly seen by
the speeches and votes OF the re-
publicans in favor OF immediate ad-
mission OF New Mexico and against
the admission OF Arizona.
The real motive for this was in
the promise that New Mexico would
elect two senator's to reinforce the
declining Republican majority in
the Senate, and in the certainty
that Arizona will elect two demo.
Gratis.
Bro REvIsIsION DOWNWARD.
Indications are that the Democra-
tic House will reduce the tariff on
raw wool by one-half. This would
be carrying out the promise con-
tanned in the national democratic
platform OF 1908 which was that
gradual reductions should be made
in such other schedules as may be
necessary to restore the tariff to a
revenue basis"
The consideration OF the revenue
needs of the government was what
caused the bulk OF the democratic
majority TO decide upoa cutting the
raw wool duty in two. The tax on
raw wool last year brought $21 .OOO.-
OGO into the treasury and the gov
ernment cannot afford to give up
that sum while there is no income
tax.
The Democrats will pnrge Sche-
dule X. of every one OF the iniquit-
Gus jokers and no duties on manu-
factures OF wool will be above so
per cent ad valorem. This means
q sweeping reduction of the tax on
wcolen clothing, blankets and all
articles composed in whole or in
any part OF wool.
The duty collected on manufactur-
ed wool last year amounted to $2O.-
OOO, 900. The average rate under
the Payne-Aldrich law amounts to
the equivalent OF so per cent. ad
valorem. and in she proposed Demo
cratic bill this rate will be decreas-
ed one half. This reduction Of duty
should have the effect OF both in.
creasing the revenues and reduc.
ing the cost Of woolens to the con-
sumerS.
RECIPROCITY THREATENED
That the reciprocity measure is
in o precarious position in the SEN
ate, is admitted even at the White
House. Practically the same in
terests and methods that became
famous through saving the seat OF
Lorimer, are factors in the fight
against reciprocity. The lumber
for instance, are anxious
10 have reciprocity defeated, and the