The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-25
CLOUD N HORIZON
Republican Leaders See Tariff
Disputes Ahead.
WESTERNERS WANT RELIEF
Through Generosity They
Want Cuba 10 Have Rights.

Washington. June 22--In the western
horizon the Republican leaders here see a
cloud good deal larger than a mans
hand. 1t is the cloud Of unrest on the
tariff question. From president down.
the big men Of the party are watching
that cloud and wondering what it is to
bring forth Ex-President Cleveland s
advice TO his party to drop minor and
doubtful issues and concentrate upon the
excessive tariff and the tarin-bred trusts
has added something 10 the size OF the
cloud. Defeat Of the administration on
Cuban reciprocity has put a darker
fringe upon the western horizon.
Those who wish TO really understan the
remarkable situation now existing here
in Washington should bear in mind that
the impending division OF the Republican
party into high tariff and low tariff
wings is the fundamental difficulty. The
western men have talked general tariff
revision. have favored concessions 10 the
growing sentiment in the West, at. least
to the extent of remodeling some Of the
worst OF the schedules. Eastern men
have replied:
20 no, we must not touch the tariff.
Let well enough alone We will not re-
wise the schedules. But this much we
are willing to dove are willing 10 re-
duce the tariff on sugar coming from
Cuba
What" has been the retort of the
western Republicans. You will not have
any revision on the iron and steel. and
such things. that the east is interested
in. but you viii make a cut on sugar.
about the only article that gives the west
any benefit out of the protective sys-
tenn? You will no interfere with the pro
lection Of eastern manufacturers, but you
will pay our debt to Cuba. by taking It
out of the western farmers? Neveri"
This is the inside" Of the Cuban row.
This is the human nature. the sectional
ism, the essence of II. The west seeks
relief from an excessively high tariff.
The east is ready to grant il on one arti-
Gle. a western aticle. The west revoltss
and though the president writes mes
sages and state conventions pass resolu-
tions. the party confesses itself impotent
in the face of such situation. and moth
ing is done.
A remarkable feature Of the case is
that in the west public opinion does not
appear to uphold the contentious OF west
ern senators and representatives. The
west is willing to grant justice TO Cuba.
even at a little cost TO itself. Anyone
-f,, fefr ~ inc
ally must do it upon the following basis:
The broadcast, most generous. most pa
triotic people of the United States now
five in the Mississippi valley In the
east there is apathy as to government
politics. in the west there is the keen
est sort of interest. The east does not
care if a promise which Mckinley made
to Cuba is broken by the congress. The
west does care. and the west is willing
to pay the price OF keeping that prom
ise.
|. Sum it up and you viii find that the
people OF the great west have never been
schooled in the selhshness and greed OF
the Interpretation policy. WIN a little
share in its benefits is accorder them, a
picayunish. inconsequential share ex-
pressed in the protection on beet sugar.
they do not seem 10 care much for 1t
and not fight for IL They have not
been trained in the art OF hanging with
death grip TO everything they get and
asking for more as the east has been
They are sympathetic with the people of
Cuba: they are sensitive as to the na-
tional honor. They say let the sugar duty
go. so we keep faith with our wards. II
stands to heason that people like this
the broadly intelligent and keenly alert
and patriotic people Of the great west
are. and are 70 be the leaders Of thought
and policies in this country The seat
Of empire Is in the Mississippi valley. not
only because a majority of the popuia-
tien is there. but because the public
conscience IS at its best.
We have at Washington senators and
representatives from the west who do not
understand their own people. This f. be-
cause they have come down here and
learned to initiate the methods Of the
senators and representatives from the
east. They have learned 20 look on the
whole thing as a sort q a game 70 Be
PLAYED. ike baseball. by professional
PLAYERS. They have imagined they were
called upon 20 engage in a combat with
the eastern teams. And all this time
they have been forgetting the fact that
the entire country. especially their own
part q It. Is getting weary Of too much
protection: weary q setting schedules up
as little gods: weary q men who say
the fetiches must not be touched.
Men who know public opinion in the
vest say that opinion + for tariff re-
vision. Il Il cant be general revision.
let Il be on souse schedules. II Il can't
be on seine schedules. let 81 Be- on sugar
for Cuba benefit. But part % ihe men
who speak for the west at Washington
wholly rristake this voice. initiate their
competitors from the cast. Who alEays
aiav for mere local OF sectional sGvsn-
ta9e. and say that they vii not consent
"a lowering the tarfr which i on ere
article alore. and that : western article.
Thus Is explained ths anomaly q TIRE
r.e-sple OF TIE west standiog for gSuer-
oxitv and q broad national poiicv. While
the way = blocked BY their spoksxzsen.
Who have acquired. through bad sssocss-
uoss The i6ea that n order &c b suc-
cessfs1 Statesmen they must nght Tor
local Interests
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