The Savannah morning news., 1902-04-13
THE TARIFF TROUBLES THE RE
PUBLICANs.

Is there any significance in the re-
election of Representative Babcock Of
| Wisconsin to the position Of Chair
| man of the Republican Congressional
| Committee? 1t viii be recalled that at
the close of the last Congress there
was talk of disciplining him for intro
| ducing a bill to remove the tariff from
articles which come into competition
with the products of trusts. Mr.. Bah
cock has not shown a disposition to re-
cede from this position. He reintro-
dueed his bill into the present Con-
gress. but he has not been able to get
the Ways and Means Committee to
consider it.
Just now, however, the tariff is CIV
ing the Republicans a great deal of
trouble. Notwithstanding the fact that
the President has said that he favors
a reduction of 20 per cent. of the tariff
on sugar and other products imported
from Cuba, on condition that Cuba
makes a like reduction in her tariff
on our products imported by her, there
is a large number of Republicans Of
the House who are offering strong OPP
position to the Cuban reciprocity bill.
So bitter has the fight become be-
tween the two factions of the Repub-
licans that the question as to whether
or not there will be a split in their
party on the tariff question is receiv-
ing good deal of attention. 1t would
be a curious outcome if the Spanish
American war, or rather questions
growing out of that war, should dis
rupt that party, Notwithstanding the
fact that it was a successful war, so
far as actual fighting and results were
concerned. Ever since the questions
growing out of that war have been
coming up for consideration there have
been cropping out differences in the Re-
publican ranks. President Mckinley,
wanted to admit the products of Porto
Rico to our markets free of duty and
he was supported by section of his
party, but he was compelled to take
a back. track in order to maintain
harmony in the ranks, and now the
beet sugar Republicans are claiming
to be the simon pure Republicans, be-
cause they are standing up for their
infant industry. They pretend that
they are not making a fight against
Cuba. but are fighting for an Ameri
can industry-an infant American in
dustry. 1t is true that the beet sugar
industry is a comparatively small one;
still it has been the avowed policy of
the Republican party to tax the coun-
try for the benefit of such industries,
and, consequently, the opponents of
Cuban reciprocity have the support of
a big percentage of their party.
Representative Alden Smith of Mich
igan. one. of the Republican leaders
of the beet sugar faction, caused
something like CONSERVATION in the
ranks of the other faction of the Re-
publicans when he proposed the other
day to take the differential duty off
of refined sugar. That was a move
that is in line with Representative
Babcock's bill The sugar trust would
be hit hard by the removal of that
duty. The Republican leaders who are
supporting the 20 per cent. concession
to Cuba don't want to attack the sugar
trust, and if Representative Smiths
proposition should come before the
House the Republican party would be
put into a very uncomfortable place.
While it would not want to hit the SUI
gar trust such a staggering blow it
would hardly dare to take the risk of
abandoning the Cuban reciprocity bill
in order to save the trust. The Re-
publicans are in danger of losing all
they gained in the Spanish-American
war by their differences in regard to
the tariff questions growing out of that
war.