New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-04
NO TARIFF REVISION.
SIGNIFICANCE OF CONFER
ENCE AT WHITE HOUSE.
PRESIDENT AND PARTY LEADERS OP-
POSED TO AGITATION OF THE SUB
JECT IN CAMPAIGN.

Washington June General misconstruction
that has gained wide publicity has been placed
on the object and result Of the protracted con
ference at the White House last night. in which.
by invitation Of the President Senators Platt.
of Connecticut; Hanna. Allison, Spooner and
Aldrich, and Representatives Payne and Dal-
zell. representing the WAYS and Means Commit
tee. and Representatives Babcock. Hull and
Overstreet. respectively chairman. vice-chairman
and secretary of the Republican Congress Cam
paign Committee took part While. of course.
the conference was called by the President TO
consider legislative subjects and party policy
of importance TO the country. still it cannot be
said that results other than OF a negative char
acter were obtained. The legislative subjects
discussed were mainly Cuban reciprocity and
the isthnian canal proposition, and when it was
discovered that the belief was common among
the Presidents callers that both these measures
would be acted at this session OF Congress
in satisfactory manner the subject OF the
forthcoming Congress campaign was gone into
thoroughly. II is realized that the Democrats
are moro than usually sanguine of carrying the
next House. and thus being prepared to make
the latter half of President Roosevelts admin
istration as unsuccessful as possible. with the
twOfold view of defeating his nomination in
1904 and, failing that. 10 render his chances of
success at the polls more uncertain than they
would De II ne ndd as harmonious hepuDllcan
majority in the LVIIIth Congress as he has in
the present one. On this interesting point the
President assured by his visitors that the
spirit of organization and discipline is strong
in the Republican party to-day as il ever was
and that there is no danger whatever of the
existing differences of opinion among the Re
pubicans of Congress being carried into the
Congress campaign in a form that will en-
danger party success next November in any dis
trict The Oregon election returns were sufff-
ciently complete establish the contention of
the Republican leaders in both houses that the
Democrats, instead Of making headway with
their Philippine policy. actually have lost
ground and that they are in worse po-
siton. with that question as a paramount issue,
than they were two years ago, when the Repub-
Iican policy was so overwhelmingly indorsed by
the people the polls.
Having arrived this extremely gratifying
conclusion as the Philippines a political
issue. the discussion turned to the question
of the next most probable issue on which the
Democrats would appeal to the country in the
Congress elections next fall. AS it is generally
understood that the old Cleveland element is in
huentially represented If not actually dominant
in the new Democratic Congress Campaign Com
n,ttee or at least in the subsidar and man
ageriaI agencies of that organization. there is no
doubt that an effort will be made 70 drop the
resurrect the only issue on which the Democracy
has won a national victory since the war be
tween the States-'tarif reform" as it is called
bv the Democratic managers. but free trade as
understood and contended for by the Democratic
masses If the Democrats do seize this old issue
and try to galyanize it into life. their shibboeth
will be tariff revision instead of the old cry
of tariff reform"
Assuming that this subject already has re-
Thar rr9r
programme for this years contest, there are
some Republicans mainly from the West, who
are inclined to view the outlook with uneasiness
and are rather insistent that their party at once
begin active propaganda for general tar
iff revision. It be said, however, that, with
nossibly two exceptions. none of the party lead
ers at the White House last night in the least
share in this feeng-and it is important at this
iuncture to know tnat the President is not one
of the two Although it was suggested that he
make the subject of tariff revision the central
theme of his speeches when he leaves Washing
ron next fall at the height of the Congress cam
paign for an extended tour of the Middle and
Western States the suggestion was not received
with favor
TINE NOT RIPE FOR TARIFF CHANGES.
In noint of fact it was tacitiy agreed that the
time is not yet ripe for the Republicans to wage
campaign with general tariff revision even
q one of the issues. though it is realized that
within a few years-perhaps in 19O4-the coun-
try will be ready to hear discussion upon the
stump of the advisability of revising many or
all of the Dingley schedules. At the present
time however it is pointed out that the people
of all classes too prosperous to entertain
with patience any scheme that would interfere
With the tariff rates under which national pros
neritv has been brought to a height never be-
fore attained and so the Republican leaders,
frou, the President down, will leave to the
democrats a monopoly of talk of tariff revi-
sion wholesale or retail.