Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-10-30

dents memory. He employed general
phrases, and, consequently. various i'll
ferences, born of different pre-iudg
ments, are possible. 10 MANY the Pres
ident talked like d free trader-as II
convinced that, from his point of view.
| the need Of protection has passed, and
| hereafter it Is to be considered, not as
a law destroyed, but as one fulfilled.
On the other hand, some contend the
President had in mind no more than the
passage of mild reciprocity treaties,
and did not, In any essential way, speak
for a new departure
The records Stands that the President
declared that 'the day of exclusivenes1
Is over" and that this country, unless
1t bought, could not expect to continue
to SELL Rival doctrinaires may dispute
over these sentences as they will, one
side extending and THE other contract
Ing them, but probably the common
opinion will be the President meant
something. Read in connection with
his past record MS a protectionlst, they
certainly imply that he recognized that
the manhood of American lnanufac.
turing interests has arrived and that
the pressing demand is, not to hold
the domestic market. but TO add to the
foreign market. The late President
argued as If he desired n modification
of the tariff policy of the country for
the very reason that he once put for
ward to sustain the old policy = that
American manufacturing interests
might be still further developed. Time
has turned the nation's hour glass and
the same sand now runs in Il contrary
direction. But, whatever the President
meant In tile way of specific things,
1t Is useless to expect n change in our
tariff laws to be accomplished without
opposition. Mckinley alive might have
had the power to lead his party, by
gradual processes, over to the new
ground, but Mckinley dead will hardly
nave the same potency especially in
view of the fact that 1t will be vigor-
ously claimed he was simply voicing n
few generalities, and did not mean reci-
procity should be applied so as seriously
to breach the tariff wall
But although we are likely to have
Mckinley quoted on both sides at the
next session of Congress. 1t is certain
there will be d contest. Already many
ears are to the ground. The first phase
of the contest obviously will be within
the Republican party. If the Republi-
can leaders, after full conference and
consideration, conclude something is to
be done In the way of tariff revision.
either by direct repeal of present du-
Ties, or by comprehensive system of
reciprocity treaties, the party will have
strength enough to, pass its legislation.
On the other hand IL the view present.
ed by the Boston Home Market Club
and by the American Economist pre-
walls, the tariff question will probably
get into active politics again, although
not in exactly the same form as in
| 1883 and 1892. From necessity the Dem
ocratic party will be compelled to wait
until the Republican attitude toward
the tariff developes before they can eff
fectively formulate their own policy.
Being in possession the dominant par
ty may afford or withhold tie oppor-
tunity Democratic leaders are anxious
to seize.
unquestionably there Is wide diver
gence of view among Republicans. In
Iowa, for example, Mr.. Cummins, In
Ills speeches. leans to the liberal view,
while Governor Shaw. after period
of indecision, has apparently made up
his mind TO out-Pennsylvania Pennsyl-
vania. In his remarks before the Ce-
dar Rapids Republican convention Mr..
Lacey declared against any tariff
change, while Mr. Hepburn says he
and his constituents see nothing sacred
| about the Dingley law and consider it
a grievance 'to have foreign consumers
| furnished ut lower price than they
with the products of the American pro.
tected Industries" Mr.. George Il. Rob
erts. chairman of the Resolutions Com
inittee at Cedar Rapids, has been con-
spicuous rs an advocate of guarded
| thrift changes, and wrote the plank
which for the time being is orthodox
Iowa Republican tariff doctrine-a
plank which more than squints in the
direction of revision. But for the most
part there is caution on the part of
prominent Republicans in making posi-
tive utterance. There is prudent de-
sire to wait until 1t can be definitely
known whittier the cat is to jump.
The different of opinion existing
! amo.g Iowa Republicans is typical of
the difference which exists nationally.
There are many Republicans who want
/ reciprocity treaties only when 1t shall
appear that they do not recipicate Sen
ator Hoar is in favor of "a reasonable
reciprocity by admitting from other
! countries what they can produce and
we cannot. and sending to other coun-
tries what VIC produce and they can
not" This suggestion has Pickwack-
an flavor in view of the fact that near
ly all the important articles which we
import but do not produce, are already
on the free list. On the other hand.
Mr.. BabcOck, chairman of the National
Congressional Committee, and one of
the prominent members of the House
Ways and Means Committee, stands
resolutely for putting raw material
used by trusts on the free list and for
the removal of all duties when the
manufacturer thereof shall have passed
/ into the hands of trust
1t will take some time for Republi-
can opinion to clarity itself. and 1t is
hardly probable that action will be
taken this winter except in the way of
prelude. Such movements are neces-
sarily slow. The Leaders guess is that
the liberal protectionists will prevail in
the Republican party. The new condl-
/ tions certainly afford good reasons for
the party veering away from the en-
tire protection position which 1t has
held since 1890, and which, at no time,
has commanded the art-whole sup
port of the Republican party. 1t Is
worth while to note, of the voters who
voted for Mckinley in 1896, that at
least 100000 voted for Mr.. Cleveland
In 1892 when thn jSSup WAS Surn rely