The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1911-04-27
Our Washington Letter.


Washington correspondent for The
Reporter.)
Washington, April 21.-Revision
downward on the things the farmer
must buy, as we'll as revision down.
ward on the things he produces.
This is the keynote Of the demo-
cratic reciprocity and tariff program.
1t differs radically from the reci-
procity program contemplated by the
republicans, which was: Greater
downward revision on the products
of the farmer than on the products
Of the trusts.
Here are the articles that will go
on the free list under the democrat
is program, each of which would
have remained heavily taxed under
the republican program:
Lumber, dressed meats and meat
products, flour, boots and shoes, sew
ing machines, saddles and saddlery,
wire fencing, baling wire, cotton
bagging and ties, burlaps and agri-
cultural implements, including har-
rows, reapers, binders and mowers.
This is not all of the democratic
program for the extra session. Fol-
lowing as soon as possible after the
passage of the reciprocity and free
list bills, the tariff will be revised
downward on wooden and cotton
goods.
The articles in these schedules on
which the greatest reductions will
be made will be blankets, UNDER
wears and mems, women's and chill
dren's clothing. The democratic
idea contemplates the placing of the
lowest tax on the cheaper grades of
wearing apparel used by the poor.
Under the Payne-Aldrich law arti-
cles used principally by the poor are
priced articles used by the rich.
In addition to reciprocity and tar
if revision downward will come bills
providing for the direct election of
United States senator's, publicity of
campaign contributions before in
stead of after election, and separate
statehood for Arizona and New Mex
leo.
LaFollette, the Prophet.
While Senator LaFollette, of Wis
consin, was making his famous rail-
road speech five years ago, Senators
Aldrich and Hale, to show their con-
tempt for the views being expressed,
retired to the cloak room. AS they
passed out of the chamber LaFol-
lette said:
"Mr. President, pause in my re-
marks to say this: cannot be wholly
Indifferent to the fact senators by
their absence at this time indicate
their want of interest in what I may
have to say upon this subject. The
public is interested. Unless this i'm
portant question is rightly settled,
seats now temporarily vacant may
be permanently vacated by those
who have the right to occupy them
at this time"
Again, while the tariff revision
was under discussion, LaFollette was
insulted, and he said:
81 warn you that if you refuse to
consider every proposition advanced
in behalf of the public and carry
out your determination to make this
tariff legislation but the instrument
by which special interests may en-
rich themselves by unjust exactions
from the public, the public will hold
sentiments as certainly as elections
are held
When the senate convened on
April 4th, LaFollette's name was
called and he answered.. But the
names of Aldrich and Hale were not
called.
White House Economy.
ECONOMY in public expense, that
labor may be lightly burdened," is
evidently not a Taft policy. While
the democrats have been endeavor-
ing to abolish every useless office in
the house Of representatives, Presi-
dent Taft has just made increases in
the salaries of the white house EN-
ployes as follows: Rudolph Foster,
assistant secretary, salary increased
from $4,000 to $4,000; C. C. Wag-
ner, confidential stenographer to the
president, increased from $4,000 to
$780,; H. P. Webster and F. M.
Hendricks, expert stenographers, in
creased from $4,000 to $4,000.
The Democratic Program.
THE democratic legislative pro-
gram says ellison Gardner, friend
of Roosevelt and one Of the veteran
Washington newspaper correspon-
dents, lis one more in the interest
of the people and less in the interest
of special privilege than any pro-
gram outlined in congress for many
years. The new ways and means
committee for a change is made up
of men who are not committed to
special privilege
A Suit of Clothes.
A speaker told the National Wool
Growers associations: THE suit l
have on cost me $50, and it contains
met sc worth Of off,