The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-06-09
A REAL AUTOCRAT.

We have referred heretofore TO the
autocratic position assumed by Presi
dent Wilson with respect to the tariff
legislation now pending in Congress,
which shows him to be real political
"boss.f It has been tho undisputed
report right along that President Will
son not only insists upon passing the
tariff bill by the Senate as it came
from the House, but that it is difficult
to convince him that any amendments
are necessary. So autocratic is he that
the Democratic Senators seem para
lyzed; and so obedient are the majority
members Of the Finance Committee of
the Senate, that they do not dare to
report any amendment to the main com
mittee without first getting President
Wilson, s concurrence in that amend
ment The President Of the United
States has the veto power with respect
to any measure passed by Congress;
but President Wilson is anticipating his
veto power by vetoing proposed amend
ments as they are submitted to him;
but If he consents to those amendments
he does so with reluctance, and only
because ne is convinced that otherwise
the Senate might get out of hand.
Illustrating the method of the Presi-
dent, we cite a brief editorial in the
New York Evening Post, which is
firm supporter of President Wilson, and
which admires his methods and ap-
proves his tariff propaganda without
reserve. That editorial is as follows.
a real danger point in the tariff situa-
ton has apparently been safely passed
through the vigorous interpostion OF the
President, II had been reported that the
Senate subcommittee was inclined TO
take meats, flour, and oatmeal off the
free list, putting on them a moderate
duty, 10 accord with that placed by the
House bill on the corresponding raw
materials, cattle, wheat. and oats. Mr..
Wilson doubtless felt. and in our opinion
very justly, that, In the present situation
concerning food products. the placing OF
any tariff tax on the articles in question.
and especially on meats, would be one
OF the most ill-advised steps that could
be taken And he did not hesitate to
make his position known. The conse-
quence IS that the subcommittee decided
10 equalize downward instead OF upward
to cancel the tax on cattle. wheat. and
go, .'i~ SSn' - bAaStxnS O. AaN On ileulr
-four, and oatmeal The opposite course
would undoubtedly have weakened the
Democratic position all along the line.
1t is seen from the above that the
President Of the United States recog-
nizes real Hdanger points" in the mat
ter Of the tariff procedure, as he notes
the progress making In committee. and
that lie is prepared to mako "vieorous
interposition whenever anything
threatens in opposition TO his purpose.
In the case commented upon by the
Post. the Senate subcommittee was in
clined to take meats, flour, and oatmeal
off the free list and put upon them q
duty that would correspond to the duty
imposed upon live stock and upon grain.
This the President firmly set his foot
down upon, and forbade, The Senators
| yielded. But il was clear case that
it would be unfair TO American butch
ers, packers, and millers to require them
to compete with free meat and free
| flour and free oatmeal as against the
world, and compel them TO pay tariff
duties on live stock and grain that they
may have to import in order to keep
up their supplies. And so the Senators
headed off by tho President in one
direction, took refuge in the other bv
! putting cattle, wheat, and cats also on