The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-01


out that the coffee trust, which has
boosted prices more than any other
combination ever known in this ccun-
try and is now defying the federal
government to break it's grip on this
industry, deals with a product that has
been on the free list for many years.
With these and other instances show
ing that free trade, in many Eases at
least. is far more favorable to trust
domination han is a protective tariff
which stimulates production and
therefore promotes competition, the
democrats are likely to find that any
attempt to revive this ancient scare
crow Of the tariff as a breeder of
trusts will be a failure.
Great Britain has a notion that
when the panama canal is set in
motion hat its ships should have
equal rights with those of the United
States, and that country has entered
a protest against the proposed tolls
system to be adopted as a part of the
canal management. Opinions in the
senate as to whether Great Britain
has any actual rights in the premises
differ, no less authority than Senator
Root, formerly Secretary of State
under the Roosevelt administration,
asserting the belief that under the
treaty with the British hat they may
ask for an arbitration Of the demand
for free passage through the canal if
the United States gives such treat-
ment to its own vessels.
Far more significant than any canal
controversy is the statement Of Sen
ator Lodge, made in connection with
this matter, that in case of arbitration
that it would be useless for this coun-
try to take this question to the Hague,
as no disinterested tribunal could be
found to try the issues. Arbitration
Vi our HdtioHdl uiiiCuiIiSo uiopS oeN-
eral points in view of the statements
Of the Massachusetts senator. who
has not been contradicted in his views
and some one might rise to suggest
that it would be in order to test out
this new doctrine of the recall on the
Hague, particularly in view OF the
fact that it has cost so much money
and has brought forth such an ava
lanche OF sentiment from all parts Of
the world.
Senator John Sharp Williams has
justified the policy OF our government
in providing that appropriation bills
cannot originate In the senate. In the
case Of all the big appropriation bills
for the maintenance OF the govern
ment the estimates are sent first to
the house OF representatives, and the
appropriations are passed upon, after
which the appropriation bills go to the
senate, where they may be amend
ed" Last session an attempt was
made to originate a general pension
bill in the senate. but the general
rule, which Senator Williams argues
is constitutional, was applied and the
measure was not even considered be-
cause it would carry with it an ap-
preparation. The senator has shown
that the same condition applies in the
British parliament, and about a hun
dred years ago the house Of Lords at
tempted to take charge OF, and initiate
some of the appropriation bills, but
the Lords were so badly sat upon, that
the attempt has never been repeated.
There are, however, many matters
which the senate controls independent
OF the house, such as the ratification
of the treaties, confirmation of ap-
pointments, etc.