The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-03-11

eODN'-O~~S
Monday In next December. There are
reasons for the desire of good many
OF the Democrats to do nothing with
the currency until six or eight months
additional time has been given the
financial experts to study plan which
they think will meet with the approval
OF the county.
Az for the tariff, the Democratic
majority says that 1t is not going to
tinker with It," for the term implies
simply patching and repatching. The
Democrats apparently think that they
have already outlined tariff program
which will prove to be constructive
and which win stand the test of time
and business. What the dominant
party fears more than anything else,
and its members are free to say SO
privately. that some of the provisions
Of the new tariff law, when they go
into effect, materially will hurt labor.
A good many of the Democrats do not
express the. fear In just this way.
Some OF them actually believe that IL
the excuse OF an experimental low
duty Is offered that some great con-
Germs may discharge parts Of their
working forces, lay 1t to the tariff, and
trust to the discomfort which is
aroused to reopen the whole tariff agi
tation and possibly to bring back high
tariff conditions once more.
House Majority for Reductions.
The Democratic house leaders In
the congress just ended and who un-
questionably will be the leaders In
the next house do not seem to be In
tn least disturbed about the ability
OF the Democratic party to put
through the lower chamber quickly
and In order" Just such tariff meas
ures as the ways and means commit
tee shall outline.
Take the house ali in all and a
vast majority of its members as the
body IS at present constituted Is In
favor OF tariff reductions. There are
among the representatives, as among
the senators, some Democrats Of high
tariff tendencies, but the majority OF
the members of that party in both
houses, and great majority in the
| lower house. are In favor OF reduc-
tions, and with them stand Republic
ans OF the house and senate OF the
Cummins and LaFoilette school, and
also the members of the Progressive
party. of whom In the new house there
! are l9 and in the senate three or four.
+ It can be seen from this that the
| house will have little difficulty IN put
/ ting through such tariff measures as
the Democratic ways and means com;
mittee shall prepare, and It Is belieV-
ed that the measures will call for
radical reductions In some cases and
have what may be called conservative.
! " radical reductions in other cases
The senate. however, as 1t will be con
stituted, will not stand for the deeT
cuts which the house intends to make
| and sc the chances are there will be
compromise.
Sounding New Members.
Members OF the new lower house
of congress are coming into Wash
ington in numbers day by day
The Democratic and Republican lead
ers are sounding out the senti
ments OF the incoming members OF
their parties, primarily In most del
icate way, to find out definitely just
what their ~factional affiliations" are
The Democratic leaders want to know
whether the incomers are extremely
conservative, just plain conservative
progressive, or radically progressive
5 and the Republican leaders are trying
TO find out just about the same things
/ The leaders of the house Democ
racy is a man OF marked conservative
tendencies. He says so and his acts
prove him so. 1t must not be under
stood, however, that he is not progress
sively inclined along lines which he
i considers safely progressive. His op
ponents in his own party say that be
considers few things safely progress
sixe and that therefore he is definitely
conservative. The great majority OF
the Democrats In the next house viii
be men who call themselves progress
: sives and who are known at home al
4 such. This majority will have g
marked influence ON legislation and or
the upholding of President Wilson's
policies, which everybody here be
lieves will be advanced. It Is NO
thought in Washington that even the
conservative leaders of Democracy IL
the house will attempt to prevent the
1 passage OF legislation that Mr.. Wilson
may recommend, even IL it appears &c
them to be over radical
Aside from the tariff. which vii
take UP large part of the time o
the extra session. and aside also from
currency legislation. which may OIL
may not be given consideration. there
viii be thousands OF bills dropped int
the hopper" OF house and senate be
fore ten days of the extra session
have gone by. These bills viii make
provision for q multitude of things
which attempts have been made te
s provide for before. but which have
failed for one reason or another
4 Few new members OF congress reacl
the capital without full belief in then
breasts that they are ordained to b.
the makers OF legislation which the