The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-24
CONFUSION ON TARIFF.
Friends of Sugar ReAners Threaten General Revision.


 Washington Special to Chicago Record.
 Threats to open up the whole tariff question were made today by Senators friendly to theNew York sugar trust in moved as proposed by the House bill Senator Aldrich of Rhode Island. is the chief apostle of high protection. especial- ly of sugar protection. in the upper branch of Congress. He returned to the city last night. Before noon 1t was known the New York trust will not have It's dinerential removed on any terms If t can prevent. and MT. Aldrlch thinks 1t can.
 If Congress insists upon depriving the refiners trust of its protection. then oth- CT tariff beneficiaries must suffer- also Bills to place wood pulp and coal and hides and iron and steel and lumber and many other articles on the free list will be introduced. If protection is to be seal ed down, let the pruning process apply ro meny industries mot to one.
 Everyone understands the purpose of these threats on the part of the sugar trust and Its representative. It is to bring to bear the whole force of the pro- tected interests of the country for the salvation of the sugar trust; to bring scurrsing to Washington hundred opu- lent and astute gentlemen insisting on knowing what all this means and if the Republican Congress has lost its senses; to create a scare tn high protection cir-
  statesmen to stop the whole business.
 It is not supposed by any well-informed Senators that there is serious danger the big battle over Cuba will result in gen possible in case the New York trust plays its hand too strongly. There is great deal of tariff revision sentiment in wash ington, thanks to public opinion in the West. Whenever four or five Republican members of Congress get together two or three of them are pretty sure to say that their people demand real tariff reform by reduction of the duties on trust con- trolled goods. It would be strange thing if MT Aldrfch's back-fire intended for protection of the sugar refineries were to catch and start tariff connagra- ton. Tt cannot be considered probable, but it is possible.
 Senators who care nothing about trusts but are thinking about the people and about justice to Cuba are laughing In their sleeves over recent developments.
 The New York refiners' trust thought to play a shrewd game and secure cheaper raw material by taking advantage of pop uiar sympathy with Cuba, and now 1t is vociferously demanding to be saved from its own petard. The beet sugar factory striking out the differential, hoping to kill the Cuban bill, and are now tremb- ling in their shoes lest that bill pass, to the injury of their own interests by re- ducing- the amount of protection on all sugar.
 One thing Is plain and this is that the Republican majority in both Houses IS Tn an unexampled state of confusion. Chair- man Platt of the Senate Cuban Commit. tee has consulted President Roosevelt and the Presid s1t asks that Congress do something for Cuba. He does not care how. but do something. Mir. Platt is going slow. He wants to study the sit- uation. He wants the heated brows to cool. He is trying to find a way out. Both MT Platt and MT. Aldrich say. some sort of a bill will pass But what sort of bill can be passed?
 ing the differential. That is just what the New York trust wants. and the beet trust won't have. The De ocrats or Doth Houses. thanks to their new leader. Sen ator Bailey, are opposed to the New fork trust and rather friendly to the beet peo- pie because that is the easiest way to stir up trouble.
 2 Increase of the Cuban reduction with the differential left in the bill. The ad- ministration Republicans and the Demo crats might stand that, but the two trusts are opposed to it. .,o,,
 3. Postponement or the whole 9ues.ion pending investigation. This would be black eye for the Roosevelt administra- tion and most Republicans, whatever their personal feelings toward the fresl. dent, say the adminlstration. ought not
 f. Senator Spooner's rebate or compro, mise scheme If the administration would accept this 1t might carry, but there are serious objections to 1t.
 Out of the puzzle of politics ana trust selfishness Chairman Platt. the wise man of the Senate" is trying to mo something that will work It Is d most difficult task.
 Senator Platt said today he snoulo Ia vor the original House bill. without the differential amendment. But he cannot get this bill out of his committee: Ihe Democrats under MT. Baileys shre~d guidance. are determined that If anything ia done for Cuba the refiners' trust shaii be smitten. In his game there may ne little something of personal ambition. When MT. German returns to the senate he is expected to become leader agaIii. Mir. German used to be the Democratic friend of the sugar trust. just as MT. Aidrich is the Republican friend III the cat comes back Mir. Bailey hopes to nave a good deal of fun with MT. Gorman friends In New York.
 Hence Mir Bailey. having gone over 10 fhe House and knocked out Leader Ricn- ardson and secured a solid Democratic front, is now trying to line up the senate Democrats against the trust. He has sue ceeded so well that 1t Is believed nothing can be accomplished In the Senate that does not hit the Havemeyer concern. MT AIdrich. who is power in the senate, save nothing can be done that will hurt that corporation. Thus there Is pretty sort of a deadlock. All hands are guess ing as to the outcome. with rebate com promise rising in favor.