The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-09-23
MR. REED TALKS OF MR. HENDEn-
son.

AIR. REED TALKS of MIR. HENDEn-
SON.
It was to be expected, of course,
that ex-Speaker Reed would support
Speaker Henderson in the position he
has taken. He has no doubt that the
reason Mr.. Henderson gave for declin-
ing a denomination is the true one.
1t certainly is a very good one. He
finds that many, perhaps the majority,
of his constituents want the tariff re-
vised. He is against tariff revision.
Hence he does not think he is the man
to represent the district.
Mr.. Reed. in the course of an inter-
view which he gave to Washington
correspondents, said: "They had bet
ter let the tariff alone. 1 believe the
sentiment of the people of the country
is radically opposed to tariff revision,
and if it isn't it certainly will be if
the tariff should ever be revised"
There may not be an overwhelming
sentiment in New England and New
York for a revision of the tariff, but
there is certainly a sentiment in the
West in favor of it that alarms the
Republican leaders. 1t will be recalled
that Congressman Babcock made a
movement in the direction of tariff
revision towards the close of the last
Congress, but the Republican leaders
managed to silence him. He had seen
the people of his section Of the West
and he knew how they felt in regard
to the matter. Mr.. Henderson was
one of those no doubt that helped to
force him to abandon his tariff re-
vision programme. Now, Mr.. Hender-
son is the victim of the sentiment
which he and others of his party tried
to make the country believe did not
exist to any considerable extent. He
has found out that it does exist, and,
that. too, in such volume and force
that the Republican leaders are genu-
inely alarmed.
"A great conflagration may be start
ed by very little match" Mr.. Reed
said in his interview. There is no tell
ing where the tariff revision move
ment that is now gaining Roadway in
the West will end. 1t is very prob
able that it will not end before there
is majority in Congress that will give
the people the kind of a tariff they
want. 1t is folly to say that the indus
tries which claimed protection because
they were infants should have the same
protection now that they have become
giants. The Republican leaders say
that trusts are but the natural out
come of business conditions. Are there
to be no changes in the tariff while
these mighty changes are taking place
in the industries?
The people notice that the articles
produced by the trusts are being sold
in foreign markets at prices much be-
low those at which they are sold in
the home market, and they wonder
why they should be taxed to give the
trusts that privilege. The Republican
leaders cannot answer that question
except as Secretary Shaw answered it
the other day, namely, that the trusts
are engaged in capturing foreign mar
kets, and, therefore, have to sell below
home prices. In other words, the peo-
pie are being taxed heavily to enable
the trusts to build up a great trade
abroad. The trusts themselves are not
expected to bear the expense of ex-
tending their trade into foreign mar
kets. They are to be privileged to
water their stocks enormously, and
then pay big dividends on these stocks.
The great conhagration of which Mr.,
Reed spoke as being among the posi-
bitities may come sooner than he and
other Republican leaders expect.