The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-05-17

by la IL LA " MEME.
Especial dispatch to The Reformer.)
Copyright 1922.
WASHINGTON May 17.-Congress
looks today as if it would wear itself
out with talk This means action on the
pending tariff bin within five or six weeks
and not late in the summer as has been
supposed The bin would be in confer
ence a month anyhow, but the present
outlook is for a clearing of decks in the
senate by the end of June.
Two things have contributed TO the
acceleration. Democrats and Republi
cans are getting sick of the tariff debate.
| Even the Republicans who up to 10 days
ago were hoping something would happen
to the tariff bill, so that it might be
buried for the remainder of the session.
are beginning to think deal more good
might be accomplished by getting the
| measure passed and out of the way.
Then its defects will, in their opinion,
| lead to remedial legislation much sooner
and the damage done will be minimized.
| As for the Democrats, they are saying
| that from a political viewpoint the pas
| sage of the tariff act before the congress
| sional elections will be advantageous and
| will add to the sum total of grievances
| inside the Republican party.
Tariff Commission Idea.
| There is a chance that all calculations,
| however. on the tariff may be upset.
| Lately a movement has been launched to
| take the tariff out of politics once and
| for all time by lodging the power to fix
! rates in a commission created by con-
| gress. This idea is not new but not
| until the peculiar economic conditions
| following the war has an administration
! sought to relieve congress of the perplex-
| ing task of fixing rates. Mr.. Harding has
! asked that the executive be empowered TO
| change rates as conditions fiuctuate. All
tariff commissions heretofore have been
merely advisory They have had no
power except to recommend and congress
has done its own legislating. The plan
| now is to empower a tariff commission
to fix rates and vest it with a quasi-judi-
| cial character exactly like the interstate
| commerce commission. The public would
| aDpeal to the tariff commission and pre-
| sent a case for the raising or lowering
! of tariff rates exactly as the shippers and
| railroads handle the question of telephone
rates. In this way congress would be
relieved of a constant pressure and the
chances of an equitable decision from a
national instead of a political or sectional
viewpoint would be vastly improved.
The Democrats are fighting siren
uously against giving the president the
right to fix rates. They claim it is I'M
constitutional for congress to delegate its
power, and Senator Underwood of Ala
bama the Democratic leader, has con-
tributed some comprehensive arguments
along this line, but in answer to this
Republicans point out that congress also
has the right to fix rates in interstate
commerce and has delegated this right to
commission. The truth is that the
Democrats are opposed TO vesting the
right TO fix rates in any political official
such as the president who has a response
bility to a party They might be per.
Suaded to compromise IT non-partIsaT
or rather bipartisan commission such as
the interstate commerce commission were
to be created.
/ Senators Getting Tired.
The night sessions in the senate on tn,
tariff have become wearisome and mem
bers are not applying themselve'
4 with as much Zest as they did {
month ago. Another month of nigh
sessions and both sides will be eager fol-
vote While the bill is in conference,
I some other legislation will be enacted
Y The bonus will be given right of way
lit seems certain now that unless tn,
senate agrees to Mr.. Shoots paid up in
surance plan, which Mr.. Harding NOR,
or less fayors, the veto power will b.
used whereupon congress will put tn
law on the statute books by a two-thrd
vote.
President Harding probably will b.
satisfied with the passage of the shil
subsidy bill by the house alone ant
will not insist on action by the senate
This will leave congress free to adjourn
about the middle of August There is
ON the other hand, much pressure for thu
passage of a new law to regulate cam
paign expenditures of United States Sena
| tors.
The supreme court declared unconsti
tutional the present corrupt practices
act with reference to primary elections
1t is doubtful whether primaries can eve
be regulated except by the several states
a new law is needed, however, for tn
regulation of the elections themselves
This probably will be forthcoming befor
the end of the present session. The pros
pect is for an adjournment of congress
sufficiently early to enable members +
take an active part in the fall campaign