The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1911-09-06
Congress Adjourns.

Congress Adjourns.
The special session of the congress
of the United States was called very
early in the spring for the purpose OF
considering the reciprocity treaty, or
the enactment of . law that would
carry into effect the bargain or contract
made betwixt the government of Can
ada and that of the United States.
1t has been . long drawn out session
through the hottest of weather; and
hot weather is less endurable in
Washington than almost any other
place in the United States 1t has
been . session of heated controversy
from first to last.
1t has resulted in the enactment of
the reciprocity agreement, which will
not 60 into effect, however, until af-
ter it has received the endorsement of
the people of Canada. 1t takes two
nations as we'll as two people to make
q bargain. The Canadian government
has practically referred it to the peo-
pie of Canada, who will vote on it
September 21st. Whether the bar
gain will be ratified by the Canadians
is as yet an open question.
1t would seem from this distance
as if the farming interests were in
favor of it and the manufacturers
agains. it, with the probability that
the agreement will be ratified. We
shall then know in the only way pos
shelby actual tr,al-what effect it
will have.
\ We have believed all along that on
the whole it will neither do the farm
ers much harm nor the laboring peO-
pie much good. In other words, We
do not believe it will materially affect
the cost of living in the least nor the
profits of the farmers in the west.
However, We shall know more about
this after q couple of years trial, if it
should be tried.
In order to compensate the farmers
for the loss that they believed would
incur through the reciprocity agree
ment, congress enacted a bill known
as the farmers free list bill.
We have never believed that this
would do the farmer very much good,
and in its original form would have
done them q great deal of harm, for
the reason that it provided for free
meat and free grains from all the
world. We believe that the free i'm
portation of corn and meat from the
Argentine would be serious blow to
the agricultural interests of the west.
The bill was modified in the senate,
however, 50 that it applied practically
only to Canada; and in this form it
could not do very much good nor very
much harm. The president has vetoed
it.
The house also passed q wool bill,
placing wool and wooden practically on
q revenue basis, and levying the du-
ties I'D valorem. The senate amended
the bill, lowering the duties very
considerably but still on the theory of
protection. The bill finally passed
both houses, but was vetoed by the
president on the ground that the tariff
committee had not had time to report
and therefore congress had not suffi-
ci..nt reliable information. The bill
reducing the tariff on cottons met
with the same treatment by the pres
ident.
Thus ended a session which, with
all its discussions, has not been of
any immediate practical value. New
ertheless, it has a great deal of re-
mote practical value. The president
and the republican party are now COM
mitted to q thorough revision of the
tariff schedules one by one and on
the basis of the most up-tO- date,
scientific knowledge. We regard this
as . very great advance-and We hope
the time will soon come when the tar
if will no longer be party issue;
in other words, that it will be taken
out of politics.
II We understand the attitude of the
common people of the United States.
they are willing there should be a
measure of protection that will enable
every legitimate industry to flourish.
They are unwilling that here should be
q measure of protection that will de-
velop great monopolies and enable the
manufacturing interests to levy toll
or taxes on the people for their own
private benefit under the plea of sup
porting the government. We believe
that the protection on steel, on cotton
On wool and woolens, has been entire
ly too high and oppressive to the peo-
pie. The work of the present con-
gress has therefore been simply pre-
liminary.
We have had the feeling all sum-
mer long that congressman would not
have endured the Oppressive heat of the
in Washington had it not been
that the different factions have been
mining rather to secure party advant-
age than to really promote the interest
Of the whole people. The measure of
sacrifice required and freely given is
more than men are likely to give un-
less they have some special political or
personal advantage to gain therefrom.