Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-05-08
NEW MEMBERS
GOOD SPEAKERS
MANY BRIGHT DEBATERS ARE DE
VELOPING IN RANKS OF NEWLY
ELECTED CONGRESSMEN. MARK
ED MINORITY DEPRESSION.
OUTCRY AGAINST UNDERWOOD
BILL MORE PARTIZAN THAN
REAL. COUNTRY AT LARGE NOT
GREATLY EXCITED.
Especial STAFF Correspondent


fore the house for the last ten days, is
more or less interesting in review. 1t was
an opportunity for the new member and
maiden speeches nave abounded. These
speak fairly well for the caliber of the
new membership of this house, which new
membership is prOportionately large. No
great tariff authorities have stood forth
in that list. The oldsters and elders o.
both side of the center aisle have main
tanned their prestige as the wise men of
the tariff situation. But there is prOmis-
ing material among the newcomers. The
republican first termers naturally have
the most opportunity because demOrali-
cation in the minority is marked and
there is cal flor good robust men on that
side.
The republican argument against the
Underwood bill has been largely %reitcra-
ton, freshened and armored with bright
new phrases and catchy Illustrations.
There has been much striving in those
directions and when the parties go again
to the country, quips and quirks of the
debate now passing will be served up.
During the debate conviction has in
creased that the mighty cutlery against
the Underwood bill was probably more
partisan han real. There are sections Of
the country where the bill is approved.
For example Pittsburg. center of the
great steel and iron industry. upon which
so much of the prosperity of the entire
land depends, is quiescent and calm. The
republican congressman from Pennsyi-
yania, West Virginia. and Ohio are
tearing around" somewhat over pro
posed tariff rates. but it is rather gen
eral. The steel and iron business can
apparently bear up well under the new
law and the private and authoritative
word from that section is one of don't
care"
A former employe of the senate, whom
the democrats have just turned out OF
Office, went to New York the other day
to see what he could scare up in the way
of tariff employment. He had prominent
friends in the business world. friends
who had been to Washington much ,lur-
ing previous reviSiOns of tariff and Hho
had always wanted men on the ground to
give them specific information. He was
confident they would want information
now and thought he could obtain good
clients. Large drug firms and manufac-
tuferS of certain lines of cOttOnS this
ex-emplOye of the Senate had particular-
~ in mind. His visit to New York. how
ever, demonstrated that these business
men were worrying not at all about the
tariff: The rates were lower than ;hev
wanted, but would do. They ,-e~e not
engaging representatives to look after
their interests at Washington.
This, to be sure. does not hold tru" of
al the country nor of all its industries.
Some business men are much alarmed.
Certain of them have figured carefully
and become convinced that the new tariff
rates will be injurious. or at least N
convenient. Others have been stampedcd
by the republican Outburst and assumed.
without particular inquiry, that the Tn
derwOOd bill is destructive.
Democratic debaters in the House Ct
recent days have sustained the rnder-
wood bill tolerably well. There are ear
nest students of tariff among democratic
members Of the ways and means. They
had arrows in their quivcrs. 1t is prob
ably a fair statement, that no tariff re
vision bill has been brought before the
house in many years which the dominant
party was better prepared to justify. 1t
is conceded that the bill keeps the dem
0cratic promise to reduce the tariff ma
terially and certainly in a large meas
ure, it will reduce the tariff without
greatly disturbing business in many
lines. The magnitude of the exceptions
has not been altogether established. Up
on those exceptions depends very much
final judgment on the Underwood bill.
Can the wool and wooden industry live
without serious Impairment; can the
shoe factories stand it; what will happen
to Louisiana and Hawaii and the beet
sugar enterprises of western states?
Ihere are strong arguments against
the gloomy republican predictions. made
i'm no small part, of course. for political
effect. For example. Representative An
drew Peters quoted pertinent figures
about cOttons. The manufactur of cot
ton goods has grown by mighty strides in
this country during the last decade. The
product is now approximately ST. 00 1000
600 "A year. The imports of cotton goods
from abroad are twenty odd millions of
dollars worth annually. Treasury OK
perts, going over the cotton rates of the
Tyr1anunC1 hill ncti,n{o tI~4 Al -,