The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-11-26
DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN.
Republican Leaders Divided on
Tariff Revision and President
is Puzzled.
DAMNED If He DOES AND DAMNED If
He DON'T.

He DON'T.
Washington, Nov. 24-There is prob
ably nc more perplexed man in Wash
ington today than President Roosevelt.
After yielding his own convictions,
that the tariff ought to be revised, and
accept;ag the dictum Of Senator
Hanna and his school OF politicians,
that the winning policy for the re-
publican party was to stand pat, -
after being assured that if he wanted
to be elected in 1904 ne must not coun-
tenance revision, the President is now
receiving the assurances OF the west
ern members and senators that the
only hope Of the party in their section
Of the country, lies in making good
the pledges Of the last campaign, that
the tariff would be revised by its
friends In the hope of gaining q
clearer insight into the situation the
President has appealed to the members
of his Cabinet and to the republican
leaders. There is no doubt amongst
the eastern members who all say
stand patn but secretary Wilson, for
instance, says his state wants revision.
Reresentatiyes Babcock insists on an
extra session called for that purpose
exclusively and the Minnesota dele
gates say that they were elected on q
tariff reform platform. The same is
true Of Idaho and other western states
which were carried for the republican
party only by the personal popularity OF
the President and the assurance that
he would insists on revision Of tariff
which would curtail the lnordlnate
profits Of the trusts.
The argument advanced by the
stand patsrs'' is that present pros
perity cannot last, that tariff revision
will precipitate the reversal Of present
conditions and that if the republican
party is caught in the midst of an at
tempt to revise the tariff, which will
be Inevitably attended by endless per-
sonal pickering and strife, the country
will administer prompt rebuke by
voting for their opponents. AS a
sample of the kind of advice proffered
the Presiednt by his friends was re-
Gently afforded by Senators Lodge and
Burrows. The former signi6ed his
willingness to ratify the Cuban treaty
because 1t would not injure his con-
stituents who raise neither tobacco nor
beet sugar, but he protested vigorous
ly against the New Foundland treaty
because il might hurt some Of the hsh-
ermen of his section. On the other
hand, Senator Burrows expressed. his
willingness to vote for the New Found
land treaty but protested against the
Cuban treaty. The fact that the tariff
is local issue is again being demon
strated together with the fact tht no
republican is willing to sacrifice one
cent Of protection to the interest of his
own section for the benefit of the coun-
try at large. The Pesident has held
open mis- message. hoping to be able to
Judge which will be the moro polite
course for him to pursue, after he has
conferred with the senator and repre-
sentatiyes who have been invited to
call on him this week.
Apparently the opponents OF an is
thmian canal are again at work for at
the las. minute Secretary Hay was
given to understand that no treaty
with Colombia which did not convey
absolute and permnent sovereignty over
the zone of the canal, to the United
States, would be accepted by the SEN
ate. As has been before stated IN
these letters the conveyance of absolute
sovereignty over part of its territory
to another nation is contrary to the
constitution Of Columbia and such in
sistance is likely to defeat the con-
struction of any canal for some time
to come. The advocates of the Nicara-
guam route have renewed their hope
and are urging the negotiation Of
treaties with Nicaragua and Costa
Rica and the option of the Panama
property is nearing expiration so that
additional congressional legislation
will be inevitable. It is stated that
the validity of the Panama Company's
title, which Attorney General Knox
found TO exist, was bitter disappolnt-
ment to some Of the most ardent ad-
vocates of that route.
The failure of the last session to pass
the Cuban reciprocity bill is bearing
fruit in way that is cause of grave
anxiety to the administration. The
Cubans, who were last year begging
the United States to grant them some
concessions. from the Dingley rates,
have now been hattered and cajere
into the belief that they are quite in
dependent of this country and that
there is no reason why they should
seek concessions from this government
at the expence of their relations with
foreign nations. The diplomatic corps
in Havana has been most industrious
in producing this frame of mind among
the Cubans and most successfully. Cen
eral Bliss, who has been sent to Cuba
to negotiate a treaty providing that
the Cuban tariff on imports from the
United States shall remain the same,
while it is raised so per cent on imports
from other countries, and that the
.Dingley rates on Cuban imports to
this country, shall be reduced 25 per
cent, reports that he is meeting with
almost insurmountable difficulties.
The President said at his last Cabinet
meeting that he did not propose to
offer any further concessions to Cuba
which he regarded as foolish and un-
grateful and that in so far as he was
concerned there would be no deviation
from enforcing every provision of the