The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-13
From the Globe Washington Bureau,
Post Building.

FROM tne OIope washington DuTSau'
Post Building.
WASHINGTON, D. c., July 12.-
Tariff revision will occupy a large
share of popular attention before this
congress dies President Roosevelt
may even call an extra session for it's
consideration. The president has de-
clared repeatedly that revision must
be undertaken; that the time is ripe
for it; that the policy is commended
to MIN by the dying speech of his pred
ecessor; that it is the duty of the party
of protection and that in its accom-
plishment lies the hope for a continu-
ance of the Republican regime.
The president believes that he re-
fleets the sentiment of the country at
large in urging this policy. Whether
he does or not will be indicated to
some extent by the declarations in the
various state platforms now being
adopted. There is no doubt about Min
nesota; the Minnesota platform is for
tariff revision squarely.
Not With the President.
Whatever may be the opinion of the
public, there is no doubt that the opin-
ion in congress is not in harmony with
leaders in the house and senate are not
willing to give their support to a policy
of tariff revision. There are senators
and congressman from the Middle West
and from other sections of the country
who reflect the sentiment of constit-
uents who want the tariff on trust ar
ticles cut down. But these members
are mostly of the rank and file. The
members who are in power are abso-
lutely under the domination of the
tariff protected interests and will ex-
haust every method to obstruct and
circumvent any move for revising the
tariff.
This is one of the conditions which
has led to talk of late of a Roosevelt
party in congress. By this expression
is meant party in control of Repub-
Hcan legislation which would give it's
support to his policies and measures.
1t might mean new speaker, and a
new committee on rules, and another
committee on ways and means. 1t
very likely would; for these are the
controlling forces which now stand in
the presidents path.
Trust Controls Committee.
During the session of congress Just
finished it was clearly demonstrated
that the committee on ways and means
which is the committee where all
tariff legislation must originates
controlled by the tariff trust. 1t looked
for time as if there would be enough
Republicans to report out Babcock's
bill reducing the duties on steel trust
articles, but when it came to the final
showdown" Babcock, who had the
casting vote, lost his nerve, Changed
his mind" WEIGHED" "crawfished."
'caved," .'renigged," laid down." was
convinced, saw a light" "hopped."
turned tair'-take your choice of the
pressions-anyway, he did it.
He gave out an interview at the time
in which he explained that he had not
ed some sort of peculiar phenome-
non in the export world. There had
been falling off or an increase or
something which to his mind indicat-
ed that it might be we'll to abandon
his much touted antitrust bill.
Lineup of the Committee.
So the committee lined up: Stall
warts for leaving the tariff alone.
Payne, Dalzell, Hopkins, Grosvenor,
russell, Steele, Mccall, Metcalf and
Democrats in favor Of reduction of
tariff always: Richardson, Robertson.
Swanson, Mcclellan, NewIands and
Cooper.
Republicans in favor of Babcock's
tariff reduction bill, Long. Tawney.
Score, nine to eight; a margin of
one, but enough to keep the subject
of tariff revision sewed up.
The same majority in the same COM
mittee would keep the tariff schedule
from being revised in the short session
unless the president can find a way of
making them '1et So One wav is
to bring to bear the leverage of popu-
opinion. IN
of speech making between now and
winter, and he thinks he is going to
form little public sentiment. Maybe
the American Protective league will
start up its literary bureau again and
try to run hurdle race with Teddy.
lll-starred Reciprocity Treaties.
1t will be like pulling teeth to get
either branch of congress to Law hands
on the sacred tariff. Some notion of
the strength of the protection nower
may be had from the history of the
reciprocity treaties. More than two
years nave elapsed since these were
negotiated with the principal CONNER
cial nations OF the World-agreements
to lower some of our tariffs on foreign
imports in consideration for similar
reduction of duties on goods which we
send to those countries. None of the
reductions exceeded 20 per cent, and
the average was much less
The treaties were drawn on the the-
ory that they would injure no home
industry, and would broaden our for
eign markets. No Industry in this
country was affected which had not
Aot grown strong and perfectly able
to compete in the markets of the world
as result of the fostering protective
tariff. 1t was figured out that the