Our land = La Nostra terra. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 191?-1913, 1913-06-28
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON D. c
June q 1918.

tered the third phase Of its journey
through the Senate when the Deeiocra-
tic Senatorial caucus began its detail
ed consideration For more than a
month. the Democratic members of the
Finance Committee have been laboring
over their private consideration of the
bill, Their meetings have been held in
secret as were the meetings of the
Ways and Means Committee in the
House and the Senate caucus will be
secret as was the House caucus Every
step of the procedure thus far taken
with the tariff bill has been in the
dark. 1t was passed through the
House -wlthout adequate opportunity
for consideration Of one of its 1.40O
tens
When the Senate caucus gets through
with it ana it finally come into the op-
en- Senate for discussion, there viii be
the first opportunity in its legislative
career for real consideration and discus
sion Of this far reaching and important
measure. 1t is hoped that the Senate
debate will elicit information as to the
reasons for many of the provisions of
the measure. The earnest efforts of
the Progressives IN the House while
the bill on its passage there were SO
successfully resisted by the Democra-
tic leaders that no material inf 5rma-
tion was obtained The five minute
rule under which the House was operat
ing made his procedure possible. No
such rule obtains in the Senate and the
prospect is that a full and fair examin-
alton Of the measure in all its details
may be had. TINS far, the Democrats
have championed the measure largely
upon the Theory that, because it un-
questienaoly lrov!ds sabtantial reduc-
tions IN amy rates Of duty, there must
therefore inevitably follow a cores
pondiug reduction in price to the con
suners Of articles on which the duty is
cut There is "a genuine belief through
cut the country that reduction in price
to consumer must follow reduction in
rates of duty. No evidence however
has been adduce5 10 support its natur-
/ al assumption. On the contray, the ox
+ perience Of the few reductions of rates
in the Payne Alrich tariff has indieat-
ed that te assumption is not necessari-
ly true. There are instances like that
on hides and that on fertilizer mater
ials where reduction Of duty has been
followed by an increase of the price.
Its greatly to desired that the ex
animation Of the pending bill IN the
Senate shall produce reliable infor-
nation en- such matters 1t is assumed,
Of course. that the members Of the Sen
ate aud House committees who are pro
viding for these reductions of rates
knew something at least Of the effect
to be procured by the proposed chang
es and it lis hoped that their know
ledge on these important matters will
become public during the course of the
debate in the Senate.
What the people Of the country want
is a material reduction in the prices of
the great range of necessities of life.
The belief that the reduction in these
prices must necessarily follow the re-
duction in therates Of duty on such ar
ticles is both natural and widespread.
The Democrats appealed directly to the
belief in their campaign promises, both
IN their platform and in the speeches
of their orators. to reduce the cost Of
living By reducing the tariff They
have framed their bill in secret and
without regard to any recognized prin-
cipIe Of tariff making. They have
handled 1t in secret. The public judy
ment Of it will be formed upon the test
Of its actual operation. If it produces
a prompt and substantial reduction in
the cost of living, it Is certain to re-
ceive enthusiastic and widespread ap-
proval. bat, if it fails to prodgee such
a reduction, the Democratic campaign
promises will be proved to be sham
and to have been based upon ignorance
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