Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-06
WHEN TO REVISE THE TARIFF.


Secretaries Root and Shaw. of the
cabinet, and President Roosevelt him.
self have all spoken upon the tariff
during the last few days and there is no
mistaking the wishes of the admins
tration. The president and his lieuten-
ants around him don't want any tariff
legislation until after the presidential
election one year from next fall. Then,
after the party candidates and Roose-
Welt himself are safely across the I'M
certain stream of popular favor. they
think that the tariff ought to be re-
yised, for they believe that conditions
have changed since the Dingley law
was passed and agree with Senator AL
lison that some schedules are too high.
From the standpoint Of practicable
ity 1t may fairly be conceded that the
advice of the president aid his counsel
ors is wise without deserving the
opinion that aside from the exigencies
of practical politics many tariff sched-
ules should be revised ct the earliest
possible moment. 1. is easy to see that
without a republican president In the
white house or without working re-
publican majority in congress tariff
tinkering of any kind would prove dis
astrous, hence if tariff legislation next
winter would tend to interfere with re-
publican success at the polls 1T had
better be deferred. May the fates de-
liver us, from tariff tinkering by 9TH
ers than; the friends of protection.
President Roosevelt ard his cabinet
members fear that any tariff legislation
attempted on the eve of the election
will be beset by the democrats and
osfer enemies of the administration for
the purpose of embarrassing the repub-
1fcans and misreprssenting their posi-
ton for mere political advantage. They
also realize that the country is now
annoying a period of unusual prosper
lty which is sure to wane in time from
natural causes and they do not want
10 do anything to the tariff that VIII
invite responsibility for decline in
rrosperity which the average business
man believes will have arrived by the
time Of the presidential election IN
1904. From the standpoint OF practicai
nolitics. and we all know that no legis-
lation can come about except as the
result of his well-known game, the
president may consistently be listened
TO by the most ardent believer In
changed schedules to meet changed
The noteworthy fact is that the
president and Root and Shaw and Alli-s
son all admit that the tariff should be
changed. The president pleads for a
stability Of policy IN tariff matters so
as not to compel the business of the
country to be readjusting itself to new
schedules every six months, but he de-
clares that in pushing This policy we
must not become "fossilized. Root
declares that there is no fetch In
tariff schedules and no sacrsdness IN
particular rates. but he doesn't want
any revising done until after the elec-
ton. Shaw concurs in this opinion.
Senator Allison frankly says, Il be-
elieye that some schedules are too high.
These men are all in acc.rd In the
opinion that as the tariff law stands
today changed conditions of industry
have made changes in schedules adj
yisable. This is ths view the public is
inclined to take, but while the latter is
wont to demand the change the minute
1t appears needed the leaders, who fore
see the practical difficulties ahead, are
tinid about tackling the job and coun-
sci delay. Their advice may or may
not be wise. The probabilities are that
ii will be followed. but the people OF the
country should unite in their party
platform expressions to demand the re-
vision of schedules no longer needed
for protection or schedules that are be-
ing perverted in their pun pose by at
fording shelter to industries enjoying,
as Governor Cummins says, 'inordinate
profits" When the voters in their plat
forms have demanded such tariff
changes with no uncertain voice the
leaders will find way to surmount the
difficulties of practical application.