Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-04-16
PAID LOBBYISTS FILLING THE
AIR WITH SHRIEKS OF MISERY,
MUCH WRETCHEDNESS AND WHIP
ING. OF FEARFUL EYES.
OLD TIMERS SURPRISED
AT PRESIDENTS WAY WITH CON
GRESS, AND HIS ABILITY TO
GAIN AND KEEP MIDDLE OF
THE ROAD.
Especial STAFF Correspondent

~, -. Albii
itical heads at Washington are still in
a whirl. 1t has been a giddy first week
of an extraordinary session of congress.
The exact proportions of things are no
yet entirely measurable. Masters of in
dustry, are %inundating the situation with
lamentations. Opponents of the new adj
minstratiOn are likewise wringing their
hands and in wretchedness wiping away
their tears, all wearing the habilaments
of commercial woe. Paid lobbyists by the
hundreds are veXing the air with shrleks
Of misery.
Screnely President Wilson goes upon
his precedent smashing career. He pro
cecds from conquest to conquest. Castles
fall at his approach. Things pronounced
impossible he achieves steadily and cas-
lily. And while these may not be alto
gether the permanent things which ulti-
mately make or mar, they are creating
for the president a reputation for in
vincibility in leadership. His political
and presidential personality is rapidly
towering into the clouds. Men in con-
gress are beginning TO think of them
selves in miniature as compared with
him.
Thus far the presidents way with
congress i'm extra session is something
of wOnderment and I'VE He is not
arousing spirit of envy and resentment
as some presidents, entering upon a dom-
inatng role at Washington, have done.
There is good will behind his activities.
Old democratic dodgers in the senate
and the house u~ncOngenial to new no
tiOns, are warming up. P~artisanshlp IS
melting away. There is general conces-
sion now that the president is a demo
crat of splendid mentality and winning
manners. He overturned the precedents
of a century on the second day when he
delivered his message in person and did
it suprbly. He overturned more hoary
precedents on the third day when he
went to his room at the capitol for a
conference with democratic senator's OF
the Finance Committee about the Tn
derwOod tariff bill. Little things. one
might say looking from the Out-Of-W Wash
ington viewpoint. Momentous here where
custom and practice have worn deep
the groovs Of official actiyitis.
The president is going about it all
very naturally. He makes no extra flour
ishes. There is no d~emagOgic appeal.
Men arc not a%ttributing untoward mo-
tives to him. 1t is his idea of service. He
has taken command of the craft and has
a very steady eye for business.
The immediate practical question is:
what will the yield be in enactment of
a tariff bill?" There have been but pre-
liminares thus far. The first week went
ruses and conferences galore, in much
running to and fro. The second week
of the extra session brings the tariff
bill nearer the debating stage in the
house. Ways and Means democrats after
weeks of deliberation. prepared the bill
and its HUNDREDS of paragraphs, carrying
thousands of items. The democratic eau
Gus after days of discussion has APP
proved of the committees work. And
as the caucus concludes its verdict, the
bill goes back to the committee. Hither-
to only democratic members lave had a
part. But an actual committee meeting
of Ways and Means follows the caucus.
Democrats lave fought out their differ
ences as to schedules, determined what
tn majority of their party want, and
stand for it to q man. Then they are
ready to face republicans. And this sec
nnJ uraal- nf tho nytpa session rpnIh-
licans are admitted into the Ways and
Means room for the first time. That's
the political team work of tariff bill
preparations.
The measure must be reported: maj
Ority and minority reports filed; where
upon the orators. The latter will be
crowding the benches of the national
house all during the second week of the
extra session. They will poster these in
control of time. They VII wait impatint-
" for some one to finish, spring, finger
appraised, and clamor for the presiding
officers eye, Willing away weary hours,
and, often. be it said mournfully, dis
couraging earnest seekers after tariff in
formation. /,
But the tariff game is about played,
as far as the house is concerned. Attor-
neys and lobbyists no longer haunt the
southern end of the legislative structure.
They are all away to the senate. The
president is no longer consulting the
house about tariff. His understanding
is that there is fait accompli. BY that is
mean the framework. The president is
taking a lively interest in the house de