New-York tribune., 1912-03-02
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
TFrom The Tribune Bureau J
- Mo y

fFronn The Tribune Bureau
Washington. March l.
pEMOCRA ATTIC LAGGARDS. -- The ar
rival Of March / has served once more 10
call attention 10 the monumental inei1cienoI
of the Democratic management OF the
House. with its attendant waste Of time ana
lack of achievement. Two years ago-anu
it is necessary TO revert TO long session
to make q fair omparson--this date founu
eight appropriation bills passed by the
House and three more reported from com
mittee and awaiting action on the House
calendar. This session only four OF these
big supply bills have been passed by the
lower chamber. with three more reported.
Two years ago when March was reacheo
six appropriation bills had been reports"
10 the Senate and one had been passed.
This year not one has been reported 70 the
upper house Going back ~ the last Demo
cratic Congress for purposes of comparison
II is found that by March l, sS6. seven ap-
preparation bills bad been passed by the
House and five by the Senate. while three
more awaited consideration on the house
calendar. This year no other legisiaton oi
Importance has been passed by the House
II may he contended by the Democrats mat
their tariff revision bills are important from
their point Of view. but even If, for the
sake Of argument. that was granted. they
could not be advanced as reason for de-
laying the appropriation bills, for each ol
the tariff bills has been put through under
gag rule" curtailing debate and has,
consequently, occupied little time In the
House and of course none in the Appro-
rriations Committee as tariff bills are pre-
pared by the WAYS and Means Committee.
But even in the matter of tariff legislation
the Democrats have not made any sincere
effort to secure revision. The report OF the
Tariff Board on the wool schedule has Ions
been before the Ways and Means Commit
tee. That report indicates where reductions
may be made for the benefit Of the con-
sumer. and even though It may be argued
by the Democrats that such reductions are
insufficient they cannot escape the fact that
the President is pledged 10 approve bill
framed in conformity with the findings of
the Tariff Board, and that. therefore, the
opportunity TO secure for the consumer some
measure Of relief stares tho Democratic
leaders in the face. II is. Of course. OBJ
vious that their pretended sympathy Tor
"the poor consumer is mere sham; that
they do not want TO pass tariff bill which
| the President can approve. and that they
are deludng themselves with the idea that
by passing tariff bills he cannot approve
and ignoring the wool schedule they can
"himfam" the voters and thus create po-
! litical capital. The tariff situation IL. OF
course, almost wholly in the hands OF the
Democrats because OF that provision OF the
Constitution which declares that revenue
| legislation must originate in the House. and
the ablest politicians are confident that the
intelligence of tho American people Is too
great to permit Of their being misled by the
transparent hypocrisy Of the Democratic
leaders.
DIXONs FALSE STEFAN who recall
the pleasure and avidity with which
President Roosevelt corralled the Southern
delegates for Mr.. Taft four years ago. the
emphasis with which he instructed Frank
II. Hitchcock TO "cnch EN- and the gee
wssh which he received the news that Mr..
Hitchcock had successfully carried ont his
instructions regard the initial statement
of Senator Dixon. the head OF Mr.. Roose-
velt's campaign organization, as a biunder.
Nor is II necessary TO 90 back four years
10 witness the evidity with which Mr..
Roosevelt and his friends have gone after
these same delegates. Only a few weeks
ago Ormsby McHarg was going through
the South promising large sums TO those
who would procure Roosevelt delega-
tons. IT IL common talk at the Cap
| itol that only since Mr.. McHsrg made
such An abject failure in Alabama. Florida
and Tennessee have the Roosevelt man.
ayers experienced any quslms Of con-
science regarding the representative char
acter Of the delegates from the Southern
States. Furthermore. nothing has been at
| tempted by this administration which will
compare with the methods which have in
! the past been practised by those who
sought TO secure the Southern delegations
| AS long ago as last December the Presi-
| dent directed that officeholders In the
| Southern States were not TO he chosen as
delegates to Chicago in his behalf. and
every well posted politician knows that in
the distribution of patronage in the South.
ern States this administration has turned
a deaf ear 10 all pre-conyention sugges-
tions.