The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-09
OPENING OF NEW CONGRESS Is TAME Both Parties Are Proceed s, ing With Caution  MR., TAFTS ADVISERS Some of Them sWants Him to Urge Tariff Revision to Prestau the 
 Democrats nsThis
 ss. Issue
 
MIR. TAFT'S ADVISERS
BY wALTERAHARPER

Washington. December S.--(Special)- Though this is to be the most Important and perhaps the most exetingFsession ot Congress since the waVs the start was tame. Real activity is mot expected to develop now until after tlte holidays, This is tho usual rule of form,sr sessions, but an exception to the rule Nwas expected thls time.
 The delay in the transmission or le- port from the tariff board is probably re- sponsible for the inactivity that has marked the opening days. Itsis also eV- ident that the anticipationq of stormy times ahead has inspired the leaders with reserve and caution.
 Both sides of the House seem sto be aborng with repressed uncertaintys Each side semes to be waiting for the other to break the ice and start thes ball to rolling.
 The democrats are in the position of the aggressor while the republicans are on the defensive. The republicans would like for the democrats to lead off with trust legislation. They would like for this to take precedence over the tariff. The annual message of the President was devoted entirely to the trusts and the tariff was ignored There was the .m- piled hope that Congress would take up this subject to the minimizing of the tariff issue. But MT. Underwood will not allow the sidetracking of the one great and leading issue that has been forced by the people through the neglect of the republicans
 The Presidents trust message was re- ferred to the judiciary committee. of which Henry D. Clayton of Alabama is chairman, and here it will remain until the democrats are ready to bring it forth. Mr. Underwod will allow nothing to get in the way of his tariff programme If the President delays his message on this subject and the promised report of the tariff board too long, he will proceed in the preparation of bills for the consid- eration of the Congress.
 It is already known that the report of the tariff board will justify rather large cut in woolen duties, even before the rate reaches the difference between cost of production at home and abroad In other words, the report will show that the republican protective tariff has been 1 robbing the people of inexcusable | amount of money. This is what the dem- ocrats have been telling the people per- sistently for years. It is nothing more i than what the people have begun to | firmly believe. The democrats contended | in the last special session of Congress l that the tariff was too high even as a l protective tariff, but the President and | his stsndpat friends would not accept it. |
 It is now intimated that the President | may try to rob the democrats of all honor in tariff revision by himself recom- -peRdfng strong cut in the rates in his forthcoming message. Such an idea is ridiculous, yet it is being strongly ad- vanced by some of the leading republican newspapers. Such a recommendation from the President would be accepted really as Surrender to the contention of the democrats and could in no wise strengthen the republican position
 Deathbed political repentance can have but little soothing effect on the people.
 It may be expected, however, that the President and his protectionist advisers will contend that no schedule of the tariff l should be revised until the tariff board has reported on the entire list and all schedules may be revised together
 Delay, delay, delay. That will be the slogan of the republicans and they will take advantage of every excuse to put off action and minimize the real issue be- tween the parties.
 It is not expected that Congress will get down to real business before the Christi mas holidays. MT. Underwood has in- timated that his committee will report no tariff bill till after the holidays and it is believed, indeed it has been promised that the Presidents tariff message will be in the hands of Congress before that time.
 The committee is disposed to give the President plenty of time-reasonable time ito give expression to his views and transmit the report of his board. The committee would avoid any just charge of dsregarding the Presidents pleasure and any information that he may desire to submit But the committee and the deni- ocratic leaders in Congress are fully aware that the people of the country ex- pect tariff revision and that they are give them the desired relief.
 Tariff revision is squarely up to the democrats. If revision fails it will be charged where it belongs-to the obstruc- ton of the republicans. If the President