The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-02
WILL MEAN A SPLIT
In REPUBLICAN, PARTY
If Roosevelt Insists Upon the Policy of Tariff
Revision to Which He Is Pledged

Washington, Dec. Livery leading
Republican senator and member of the
House who arrives in Washington
serves by his presence and his utter
ances to emphasize the wide split
which is coming into the Republican
party, if President Roosevelt insists
upon the policy of tariff revision to
which he stands pledged.
The one thing upon which the real
ly influential Republican leaders are
agreed is that there shall be no re-
vision of the existing tariff at the COM
ing session or by the next Congress.
Promises which were held out by Re-
publicans in Iowa, Wisconsin, Massa-
chusetts, Idaho and other states in the
last campaign will be absolutely repu-
dated by the action, or rather, the
non-action. of the Republicans in Con-
gress.
President Roosevelt is a sincere and
ardent tariff revisionist. The reform
elements in the Republican party,
which he distinctly represents, are IN
favor of tariff revision. They are in
sisting strongly that the tariff ques-
ton be taken up in the present Con-
gress and that either tariff commits
sion be appointed or some other step
be taken which will serve as notice to
the people that the Republican party
stands for revision.
Opposed to them are, almost with
out exception, men who really shape
Republican action. While a number
of Republicans of the House, fresh
from the campaign into which, in or
der to save their political heads. they
were compelled to throw as a sop the
tariff revision sentiment, may be found
advocating what is recognized as the
Presidents policy on the subject, the
great majority of Republican senators
come out strongly and forcefully
against any agitation of the tariff
question. The position which Senator
Hanna took some months ago, when
the question was first preached, now
finds Endorsement by the very men
recognized as conservative Republican
leaders. AS between Senator Hanna's
'let, we'll enough alone" policy and
any agitation of the tariff question.
such as is involved in the Presidents
tariff commission suggestion or in any
tariff revision movement, the Repub-
licans of the Senate would be found
lined up almost to a man with Senator
Hanna.
While there cannot be said to be
anything like a clash between Senator
Hanna and President Roosevelt-for
there is nothing of the sort as yet
it can be said with perfect accuracy
that upon this question of the tariff
they represent the two views held by
the Republicans. President Roosevelt
is in favor of agitation. Senator Hanna
is in favor of letting things stand
as they are. The majority of the Sem
ate leaders stand unquestionably with
Senator's Hanna's side of the contro-
versy They deprecate any tariff agi-
tation as tending to disrupt the Re
publican party, to play into the hands
of the Democratic enemy, and to I'M
settle the present prosperity, which
they contend is due to the existing
tariff.
Men who take this view are the best
politicians in the Republican party.
They believe that from political
standpoint the better chances for sue
cess in 1904 lie in a bold defense of
the present tariff, rather than in any
catering to the popular demand for
tariff revision. They believe that the
present prosperity is due to the Re-
publican tariff, and they contend that
by holding to this belief before the
people, they will secure the Endorsement
of a great majority of them Just so
long as the prosperity continues. In
case of any financial black eye, the
country, they contend, would go back
on the party in power, no matter what
its position, and they are willing TO
stake their all upon the continuance of
the present prosperity. That is the
view held by the men who are oppos-
ing the agitation of the tariff question
at this time. They argue that agita-
ton will stir up tariff reform senti-
ment, and that when such sentiment
is stirred up, it will play into the
hands of the Democrats, no matter
how strong the Republican protesta-
lions in favor of reform may be.
Among the recent arrivals in Wash
ington was Senator Frye, president
pro tenn of the Senate, who is unques-
tionably one of the most influential
men in either House of Congress.
Senator Frye does not waste words IN
declaring his opposition to tariff re-
vision.
Senator Hale of Maine is even more
positive in his declaration that there
will be no tariff revision, either by
this Congress or by the next. There
will be no tariff revision this winter.
nor the next. nor the winter there
after, unless Congress has lost its
head" said Senator Hale. "The Ding
ley act has given the people more
trade, more business and more pros
perity, than any bill ever enacted. 1t