The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-04-17
TARIFF. BILL MAY
Be PASSED INTACT
Underwood Possibly Gan Hold
Il Together.
"eAe RULE WOULD DO WORK
Although Much Denounced, It Really
10 an Effective instrument For Pre-
venting Alteration or Amendment
Of Important Measures-Publie Will
Not Care How Trick 10 Done.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

Chairman Underwood should get eau
Gus Endorsement for his tariff bill. with
practically an ironclad agreement that
the bill shall go through unamended.
the next step will be to prevent votes
on amendments which would embar-
rass individual Democrats Of the house.
For instance. many Democrats would
be compelled to vote for protection on
this and that in their different dis
tricts. but il gag rule" should be
adopted. cutting of all opportunity for
amendments. they could vote for the
bill as whole and tell their people
there was no help for them-that they
could not do anything else.
The much denounced gag rules are
really safety valves for those who
want to remain with the party. but
who would be compelled to go astray
on certain amendments. and for that
reason it is quite probable that Under
wood will be able to put through some
resolution which will keep his bill in
tact and give neither Democrats. Re
publicans nor Progressives an oppor-
tunity to amend.
People Will Not Care.
The people will not care how the
thing is accomplished providing what
is done suits them. As long as the
Republicans were in power and pass
ed legislation that the people wanted
1t made no difference how it was put
through, whether under liberal debate
or by gag rules" 1t was when gag
rules" and Cannon methods were used
to put through measure like the last
tariff act. which the people. did not
want. that an Outcry was made against
"Cannonism" and house methods.
But the same methods must always
be used by the majority party, either
in one form or another. In the last
congress the separate tariff bills were
first indorsed by the Democratic eau
Gus and a binding agreement made
that they should not be amended.
That agreement was carried out. FL
ther by rule or an agreement Chair
man Underwood can accomplish the
same result with his present tariff bill.
Farm and Orchard Birds.
Frequently the agricultural depart
government publication. There was
the horse book. which helped to add
luster to the fame Of Uncle Jerry
Rusk more than twenty years ago.
Recently the department issued
book on Fifty Common Birds Of the
Farm and Orchard" telling how the
birds aided the farmer. Senator Mar
tine of New Jersey called attention to
+ by trying to have 1000 copies print
ed for each senator and telling how
great had been the demand for them.
Tie watchdogs Of the printing office
would not cohsent to have the print
ing done for the But in time
the demand for the book Wii@ force
them to consent. -
"He's No Hermit"
After President Wilson had called
at several places, read his message to
congress. visited the senators and talk
ed tariff to them. attended baseball
games and was a prominent guest at
the Gridiron dinner and had walked
about the parks for exercise he merit
ed the remark Of an old employee near
the White House. Hes no hermit
you betr'
! An Editor Who Can Talk.
1t has always been asserted that ed
itors are not takers, but such is not
the case in regard to Editor Daniels.
now secretary Of the navy. Daniels
learned the game Of talk long ago. find
Ing that 1t was often necessary to ex-
press himself orally as well as editori-
ally. In the political fights he had in
North Carolina the vigorous editorial
utterances were not sufficient. There
were times when he wanted to make
the people hear what he had to say.
When speaking for the navy he makes
good.
Debate Behind Closed Doors.
Debating the tariff behind closed
doors. with no opportunity to get the
speeches in the papers nor in the Rec
ord. comes under the head of cruelty
to congressman. but Oscar Underwood
concluded that the only way to have
his tariff bill indOrsed BY the caucus
was to keep the Democrats right down
to business without giving them any
opportunity for playing to the galleries.
Baseball and Congress.
Many congressman are taking COM
fort out Of the fact that the baseball
season will relieve the tedium of tariff
talk when the bill gets before the house.
More particularly will this be true
when the bill goes to the senate. where
It will have much longer period Of
consideration. AS long as the commit
tees are not appointed there will be no
especial effort to take up the business
Of the session outside Of the tariff save
those appropriation bills which failed
last winter. There is still talk about
currency legislation. but that has not
been considered as real pressing at this
lime.