Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-05-24
SENATOR WATSON MAKES
MAIDEN SPEECH IN SENATE
Shows How Colonel Has Been nodo.
Ing a Vital Issue--Wsrmiy Con.
Graduated by Colleagues

Washington. May fS.-Senator Clar-
ence W. Watson. Of West Virginia,
made his maiden speech In the United
States Senate yesterday afternoon aud
found an opportunity to attack Colonel
Roosevelt for his consistent and per.
sistent evasion of the tariff question
The West Virginian had given form.
al notice that be would discuss the
Metal Revision bill, and when he arose
practically every memee- Of the Sen.
ate was present Many spectators an.
ed the galleries and gave close atten.
ton 10 the views of a business man up
ON the tarin question from the stand.
point of man who had intimate
knowledge of the steel and fuel indus.
tries OF the country.
In the beginning he showed unmis.
taxable nervousness. II was the first
important public speech he had ever
made. AS he proceeded however he
appeared TO feel more at east, though
he made no effort at oratorical effect.
When he had concluded many OF his
colleagues crowded around and con
graduated him upon his address, He
said afterward that throughout the ad-
dress he was congratula'ing himself
that no Senator was unkind enough to
interrupt him with a questaion.
From Business Mans Viewpoint.
81 speak entirely from a business
mans point Of view said Senator
Watson. while | do no; underesti.
mate in the least the abstract prob
lens of government ! an more inter-
ested in those which have to do with
its practical conduct under existing
conditions of constitutional develop.
ment and of legislative control
with our enormously inflated rates
of duty, it is an obvious demand OF
common sense that Congress should
at the earliest opportunity set itself
to the reduction and equalization of
the various schedules. This Is not a
suggestion of free trade. which | think
is impracticable at the present time,
however desirable 1t may be in theory.
But | am perfectly sure that the peo-
pie of the United States demand an
immediate and thorough readiustment,
so as to eliminate as far as possible
all special protection, place our indus
tries upon competitive basis and re-
duce duties to point where our man
ufacturers will have to expect com
petition when unreasonable and I'M
fair advances in prices are attempted,
criticises Taft and Colonel.
Il have no intention o. Offering any
improper criticism of the Chief Ex-
ecutiye. Yet it remains true that
President Taft and former President
Roosevelt have eooperated with the
opponents OF tariff revision in this
body to prevent the enactment of any
satisfactory measure denigned to re-
lieve the public of it's present great
burden.
"The President has had much to say
OF tariff revision, yet when actual
measures have reached him he has
not scrubbed to return them with a
veto. His only positive action for the
reduction Of the tariff during his term
of office has been the negotiation Of
a reciprocity treaty with Canada. How
unfortunate it was that the Executive
of this nation was forced to deal in
order to get votes for his reciprocity
agreement by agreeing to veto the tar
if bills that were TO be sent to him at
the special session"
Taking up Colonel R6osevelt's case
the West Virginia Senator said;
at is well known that the reforma-
ton of the tariff is an article of faith
of the Progressive Yet / remember
that the arch-progressiye of all, who
is now pushing his third term candi-
dacy for President, was IN the White
House for seven years without lifting
a finger to secure revision OF the
tariff
at cannot be said that this total in
difference of Colonel Roosevelt was
due to ignorance, for as far back as
1902 he considered the propriety OF
recommending to Congress the APP
pointment of tariff commission,
whose duty it should be 10 prepare a
revision of the schedules upon which
some action might be based.
Nothing to Be Expected of ct. r."
st should be borne in mind by those
who are sending out criticisms OF
President Taft's action in signing the
tariff act of 1909 and in praising that
unfair and partisan enactment as the
best ever that there is nothing to be
expected of Colonel Roosevelt with
reference to the tariff should he again
enter the White House.