The Topeka state journal., 1903-04-16
Kansas Attitude in National
Politics Discussed.
The Republican Delegation May
Favor Tariff Revision.
IT is 'sTHEIOWA IDEA ,,
J. L. BrIstOw's Paper Joins the
Procession.
Tells Why Kansas Republicans
Should Favor 1t.

What viii be the attitude of Kansas
next year with reference TO tthe Iowa
idea p" What position viii the Kansas
delegation to the Republican national
convention take with reference to a
plank concerning tariff revision2 VIII
the Republicans of Kansas favor a
modification of the tariff. or win they
line up for an iron-bound schedule and
regard iti as a crime to suggest that
certain duties be revised?
These are questions which are conn
ing to the front in Kansas political cie-
cles in the next few months. and they
are likely to evoke as much general in
terest as the question Of who shall con-
troll the party. but probably not as
much bitterness.
1t seems quite certain that there viii
be a considerable contingent, and an III
fuential one. which will favor policy
of tariff modification. It is also not at
all unlikely that this contingent will be
very influential with the delegation to
the Republican national convention
next year The question of the policy
of the party on the subject of the modi-
f1cstion of the tariff will be almost Ger
tain to come up before the convention.
Kansas may be called upon to play an
important part in the decision of that
question.
Several months ago Judge J. S West.
then assistant attorney general, express
ed himself in an interview in the state
/ Journal as being in favor of tariff re-
vision to a certain extent. Some of his
political associates held UP their hands
in horror at his heresy. They wrote
him letters asking if he had ceased to
4 be an orthodox Republican
NOfyVif1Sf andiD0 that judge West
4 continued firm in his faith and today
expressed himself along the same lines.
Il do not believe in the overturntng OF
the principle of protection" he said,
but the time has come when some OF
our industries have outgrown the need
OF protection. Conditions are different
from what they were a few years ago.
and q revision of the tariff to a certain
extent is bound to come and the Re-
publican party had better do the juD
I Instead of leaving it for somebody else
CYRUS Leland has been outspoSen
along the same lines and ia favor or
the Iowa idea. as promulgated py
/ Governor Cumn1ifS- When ne returned
4 from Washington a few weeks ago MI
Leland stated very positively in an IN
T terview in the State Journal that he -
for a medication of the tariff and eX-
pressed the opinion that reduction OF
/ the tariff on sugar, for instance, would
( destroy the sugar trust and Work a
benefit to the entire American people
Now comes the Salina Journal, Fourth
! Assistant Postmaster General BristoWs $
paper and comes out in a leading edl-
/ torial declaring for the Iowa idea.
! While Mr. RriStoW is in Washing ton
/ this editorial sounds as though it came
/ from his pen and he doubtless inspired
/ il at any rate It adds another strcng
Kansas Republican to the RANKS OF
tariff modif1ers. The editorial IS as
"A great deal has been said IN ths
1 public press about the Iowa idea on
444ar
/ of that state, a man of great force or
/ character and political sagac1ty, de-
clares that there should be modlhca-
ton in the schedules of the Dingley tar
j if and that wherever there is tariff
on trust made goods, such tariff should
be repealed. There is no doubt but that
/ Governor Cummins is correct. In every
tariff bill rates are injected that are not
advisa BILE In the compromises that are
necessary in order to secure the passage
of a measure of this character, cOnces-
sions have got to be made at times
more in the interest OF private Indl-
viduals than the public Such conces-
sions are made but In the end the great
est good to the greatest number IS all
ways sought Governor Cummins wise
/ ly declares that a general revision OF
the tariff is not desirable; that such re-
/ vision would create financial uncertain
ty and disturb the general business Of
the country too much. But whera
/ notifications can be made in the form
/ of reciprocity treaties. whereby the
United States secures concessions from
/ other countries IN return Tor cOnces-
/ sions which we can Justly grant such
notifications should certainly be made
THAT is what we understand by the
/ Iowa idea and if properly presented to
the American people 1t will meet their
/ approval Free trade is offensive to the
/ American mind because it is detrimental
to A snerican industry but reciprocity is
| a business arrangement by which both
parties to the contract are tenefited.
There is an exceedingly hostile feeling in
certain sections of the east against reci-
procity but it grows out Of the selfish
ness and greed of certain interests that
are fostered by high tariff The great
est protectionists of the country origin
ated the reciprocity idea. It was first
promoted By Blaine indorsed by Har-
rison and Mckinley. and stands today
as one of the cardinal principles of the
Republican party
It looks as though w H. Smith. sec
retary of the state board of railroad
his job. 1T is pretty well understood
that deal was effected through the
election of George W. Wheatley to sue
ceed ]. N. Ffke as railroad commission
er. that Cy Anderson of Rawlins coun-
ty is to succeed Smith as secretary OF
way:
The senate first proposed that the old
members of the board should hold over
. under the new law. This would leave
in A. =. Walker and j. n FiiSe, both
of whom were friends of Smith. The
! house amended the bill to allow the
governor to appoint the commissioners
when there should be a vacancy When
this amendment came up in the senate
for concurrence, Senator Fulton Of
Marshall county where W. II. Stmih is
one of the big Republican leaders.
wanted to vote to concur in the house