Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-12
BY JAMES B. MORROW.


give tariff bills and tariff laws the
i names of men. The Morrison bill
and the Mills BILL the Mckinley
law and the Dingley law are examples
Of the practice.
ated, as was the case with the So
Sometimes two names are hyphen-
called Wilson German law and also
with the Payne Aldrich law. Bills and
laws are thus identified for the con-
venience of their champions, but more
particularly. perhaps, to furnish the
editors and stumpers OH the other side
Hwith plainly visible targets at which
to shoot.
1t was believed that "Gorman" join
ed to Wilson" would suggest a mon
strosity in legislation and an attempt
ed but impossible unity Of two fercely
repellent principles. German" mean
ing protection and Wilson" tariff
reform, or, as the republicans Charge
free trade
The double name then, was an ad-
jective of description as well as an
epithet of derision. a q more recent
day 'Aldrich' was attached to
Payne in the belief that the COM
bination would excite the passions
high tariff notably on cotton goods.
gone mad.
X !:
BY a command of the Constitution,
tariff laws must originate In the
House of Representatives A tariff
bill, or any bill, is bill until it is
passed by Congress and signed by
C
a law. In the process OF legislation
bill is written, debated and put to
vote. First. 1t must be. written. This
work, when the bin relates to the
tariff, is done by group of men who
are collectively known as the COM
mittee on ways and means. The COM
mittee in 1876 WAS composed Of eleven
men. Its membership now is twenty
three, thirteen of whom are demo-
Gratis. In the next Congress the thir-
teen will be republicans.
Always, of course, the committee
has a presiding officer and it is the
name of this man that is popularly
given to the bill. as a bill, and to the
faw. after 1t has been enacted. But
the chairman OF the committee does
not write the bill His political asso-
ciates on the committee. men of Ideas
and men of interests, assist In that
task and possibly, may do most or
the work. Yet it is known as HIS DILL
Passed by the House, the bill goes
to the Senate, where. under the rules.
it ia sent to the committee on finance
for analysis and amendment. John
Sherman was chairman of this COM
mittee In 1876. He had eight associ-
ates. two Of whom were John A. Lo-
gan of Illinois and Thomas f. Baynrd
of Delaware. The committee now has
seventeen members, ten OF whom are
democrats. After March 4, 1919, the
ten will be republicans.
Nor does the chairman of the Sem
ate committee do all of the analyzing
and amending after the bill comes
to that body from the House. Today
Sherman's time. one among seven.
Nine republican senators We're on the
finance committee when the Payne
bill passed the House of Representa-
tiyes. Aldrich was chairman. but on
the committee, equal to him In voice
and vote. were such men as Burrows
Of Michigan, Penrose of Pennsylvania.
Hale Of Maine, Cullom Of Illinois.
Lodge of Massachusetts, McCumber
of North Dakota and Smoot OF Utah.
All were men and not automatons.
The fashion of naming tarif bills
after persons Is causing certain re-
publicans some embarrassment at this
time. If precedent Is followed. Joseph
w. Fordney of Saginaw will be chair
man of the committee on ways and
means in the sixty-sixth Congress and
boise Penrose of Philadelphia will be
chairman of the committee on fnance
in the Senate,
Precedent means the process of SEN
iority Thus In the course Of years
senator or a representative at the
tail of a committee will become its
head by the death. defeat or resigna-
tion OF other representatives or SEN
ators who were his colleagues when
he entered Congress.
). Today Mr.. Fordney is what is call
cd the ranking republican member
Of the committee on ways and means
and Senator Penrose IL ranking re-
publican member on the committee
on finance. Mr.. Fordney has served
in Congress for twenty years and was
elected tor another term in Novem-
Der. Mr.. Penrose entered the Senate
In 1897. He has been reelected three
times. His present term will not ex-
pfre until March 3. 1921.
The republicans purpose. early In
the next Congress, to prepare tariff
bill. They interpret the election OF