Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1911-08-10
Our Washington Letter.

tected industries proSpering at the ex-
pense Of the common people have united
in the interests of the people to bring
about changed conditions. While the
Democrats are the leaders OF the new
coalition and the promoters OF the policy
of tariff reduction, they are not strong
enough in Congress to enact alone the
laws they would like to pass and it is
only with the assistance OF those Repub-
licans who believe the people have rights
above those of the trusts and protected
monopolies that the Democratic measures
are being adopted by Congress.
On the one side are the Democrats and
the Progressive" Republicans, repre-
senting the Roosevelt school, while on
the other are the Taft supporters and the
"Stand- Patters." The former are fight
ing for the people, the latter for the trusts:
And the people are winning out in the
fight. Only the veto OF the President can
prevent the passage OF laws beneficial
to the people and intended to reduce the
cost of living; and there is a possibility
that even if the President vetoes the tariff
reduction bills, as he threatens to do, there
will be enough champions OF the cause
Of the people in each House OF Congress
TO pass them over his veto.
A result OF the action of the Democratic
House Of Representatives in passing bills
to reduce the tariff duties on many OF the
necessities of life has been the formation
OF two great parties-one favorlng tariff
reduction; the other opposing it 1t is
needless to say that the Democrats are
the leaders in the party favoring tariff re-
duction, but they are not all OF it. II is
not partisan fight which is being made
here but fight on principles, with the
Republican party divided as 10 its views
on tariff reduction. 1t is the fight OF the
people against the Interests and Trusts,
with the Democrats and the Roosevelt
or LaFolette Republicans on the side OF
the people and the President and the
rest of the "Stand- Patters" on the side
of the trusts.
Now the Democrats and the progress
sive" Republicans, without making it a
party issue, have passed bills for the re-
duction OF the duties on necesSarieS Of
life, which the Irregular" Republicans
have opposed and which it is said the
Republican President will veto. And the
people may see from actions rather than
by mere words who are their friends.
With the intention of showing the peo-
pie where their representatives in Con-
gress and in the administration stand,
the Democrats and Progressive" Re-
publicans are understood to be prepared
TO stay here till the converting of the
regular session of Congress in December,
if necessary, to show up the attitude of
the Irregular" Republicans toward tariff
revision. The House committee on Ways
and Means in now at work on bills re-
ducing the tariff duties on steel, sugar,
rubber and other protected articles, con-
trolled by trusts. II is proposed to pass
these bills over the votes OF the "Stand-
PatterS' in the Senate and to put them
up to the President to sign or veto. They
want the people OF the country to see the
insincerity of the "Stand-Pat' promises
made during the campaign and to know
where to place the responsibility for the
failure to pass laws reducing the tariff
| duties on accessories.
West Virginia may be called upon in
the coming general election TO cast the
| deciding vote between the "Stand-Pat-
ter" candidate for the Presidency and
the candidate who would reduce the
duties on the necessities of life, so as to
reduce the cost of living, and the voters
OF West Virginia should note carefully
the actions of the different Senators and
Representatives in Congress. Senators
Watson and Chiffon and Congressman
Davis, Brown, Hamilton and Lttlepage
have been supporters OF each one of the
tariff reduction bills and their votes in
the Congressional Record will show this
to be the case. Congressman Hughes,
who has been absent all session, has been
paired most of the time and always against
tariff reduction. In addition to this, the
President himself seems likely to be re-
nominated and those who are in favor Of
reducing the cost of living should remem-
Der, in case he vetoeS the tariff reduction
bills, fiat he alone has stood between the
people and the lower cost OF living. His
promises in the last campaign amount to
nothing beside his veto of bills actually
reducing the tariff duties on the neceSSi-
ties of life. His promises of revision
downward were made in the height of a
political campaign; his veto OF tariff re-
duction bills, if made now, will be made
in moment of calm and deliberate iudg-
ment. and the people must decide in the
coming campaign whether they prefer
his promises or his actions.
While il was decided by the Democratic
caucus of the Senate that the Farmers
Free List bill ought to pass as it came
from the House and without amendment,
and therefore Senator Watson did not
feel called upon TO cali up his amendment
providing that coal be placed on the free
list, yet when Senator Gronna offered
similar amendment Senator Watson voted
for it, believing absolutely in the princi-
pie of free coal and desiring to be con-
sisitent with his belief and his effort TO
remove the duty from coal. Senator
Chiffon, although he would have sup
ported Senator Watson's amendment had
it Seen offered, felt that he ought to abide
by the sentiment of the caucus and voted
against the amendment.