The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-29

Of representatives,, who have been
pouring their tales of woe into the
pages Of the Congressional Record for
the purpose OF later distributing these
speeches as public documents
throughout the country. while in
secret they are chuckling because their
plan to play politics by passing tariff
bills that would draw presidential
yetoes has been successful. The
theory Of tariff revision on the basis
of a ~nOn-partisan study Of the facts,
urged at one time by democrats who
proclaimed themselves in favor of a
tariff commission, has been disf egard-
ed by the democratic house which
has shaped its tariff bills without any
consideration for the facts collected
by the tariff board and has acted var
sously on the theory Of free trade,
tariff for evenu only and protection
for special interests. An instance of
the latter was given in the chemical
bin which increased duties on certain
articles. The insincerity OF the demo-
cratic professions of anxiety to re-
duce duties was shown by the rejec-
ton OF the sugar bin passed by the
senate. That body refused to join in
the effort OF the democratic house to
throttle the rapid growing beet sugar
industry and TO hand over the control
OF the greatest sugar market in the
world 10 the sugar trust and its fellow
refiners. The senate did, however.
make the substantial reduction from
$3.50 to $1.60 per hundred pounds in
the sugar duty. The bill providing
this reduction and abolishing the diff
ferential and the Dutch standard
which work only to the advantage of
the refiners was a splendid example
OF sane tariff revision downward pro-
posed and passed by republican votes.
The democratic leaders Of the house,
however, stood staunchly by the re-
finers and refused to lower the duty
unless it could be removed entirely.
In the about face which the demo
Gratis were compelled to execute Mr..
Underwood charged hat the reduction
of duties would give the big reflners
$5,000,0 600 a year without reducing the
price OF sugar to the consumer. Fol-
lowing this argument to it's logical con-
clusion, the democratic bill would
make an annual present of the trust
and its fellows of $35, 000, 900 a year in
addition to destroying the domestic
beet and can industries in which some
5000, 000, 900 is invested. In this
whole fight the only interests that
would be injured by the republican
bills are the refiners, while the whole
force of democratic efforts seem to be
directed to aid these same ~refiners,
even going to the extent of removing
the duty from boneblack which Is
used only in the refining industry.
1t has been a good many year
since congress has had as many vetoes
as those fsced during the past few
weeks, and while there has been a lot
of suffering about Capitol Hill, yet
there has been nothing supervising in
the things that have taken place, as
the house leaders knew exactly what
to expect in advance Of the passage of
their tariff and appropriation bills,
loaded down with special legislation.
The objects desired all around have
been accomplished, and in a month
the campaign will be in full swing
everywhere, and the bills that were
made only to be vetoed will be the
basis Of discussion on the stump by
the orators Of the different political