The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-12-24
The Bill by Gaines Awak-
ening Interest.
JUDGE CLARK'S LETTER
The Breach in the Tariff Wall Made
by the Cuban Bill Loosens the
Joints of Dyed-in-the- e-WooI
Republican
Knees.

NICCSs
Especial to The News and Observer1
Washington, d. c., Dec. 23.-The bill re-
Gently introduced by Mr.. Gaines, of Ten
nessee, for the relief of tobacco growers is
awakening interest in the South. 1t pro-
vides that anybody may buy and sell leaf
tobacco in any quantity, anywhere, with
out tax or license, and it permits a grow
er to stem and twist his own crop without
restriction or tax. Concerted action is
being taken in some parts of the Tennes-
Kentucky tobacco regions. and even
in North Carolina interest is awakened,
as is shown by a letter from Chief JUS
tce Clark, of the Supreme Court of that
State to Representative Gaines, saying
that the leading tobacco farmers are earn
estly seeking to discover some relief from
their intolerable situation"
In the final passage of the Cuban re-
cprocity bill there is much of promise
tu the Democratic party. 1t was with
the assistance of Democratic votes that
1t was passed. Democrats favored it's
good features and opposed those that thny
thought would fatten the profits OF trusts
and deplete the pocket books of American
farmers and wage earners But the Re-
publicans stood for the bill with these
Objectionable features in it, or not at all.
and so far as ar9ending the Democrats
were powerless.
But the most important and far-reach-
ing feature of the Cuban bill from a
party point OF view is the fact that il
makes a breach in the tariff wall, and
while 1t does so by Democratic votes, it
does II on Republican responsibility. This
Is important for the reason that it shows
tendency on the part of even the oppO-
sition party in the direction of a reform
o. tariff schedules for which the Demo
cratic party has so long and persistently
been fighting. This, in turn, portends
a serious division in Republican ranks.
That division is already in evidence. The
American Economist, organ of the Ameri-
can Protective Tariff League, powerful
and influential organization whose oOJec>
is to maintain the tariff, this week attacks
the Republican party for it's enactment
Of the Cuban bill on the ground that
It has thereby made a serious breach
in the tariff wall and warns it that ad-
herence TO such a policy will lose it many
votes in the next campaign. 1t says:
"For the first time in it's history the
Democratic party finds itself in the en-
evitable position Of helping to make a
breach in the tariff wall without taking
the slightest risk on its own part. It is
true the breach could not have been
made without the assistance OF Demo
Gratis in the House and in the Senate,
but the assault was not planned by Dem
ccratlc generals, and neither was it sue
| cessfully carried out by the Democratic
rank and ile Nevertheless. tho breach
has been made, and it is big enough to
Do noticed Like Mercutio's mortal
wound.
IT IS not so deep IS a we'll, nor so
wide as church, door; but t is enough.
t will serve
"The breach in the tariff wall will have
its uses and its advantages to the Dem
ocratic party without any of the perils
or drawbacks of tariff tinkering. Though
| IT, shall not paralyze all industries, as
did the breach of 1894, it will greatly in
jure, if it does not altogether destroy,
some important industries that are so
identified wkith domestic agriculture az
to infict a serious shock upon protection
ism among the farmers of the United
States. IF 1t does not change the cleo
toral votes of several States heretofore
reckoned as safely Republican, it viii
at least put them in the category Of
| doubtful If only a few of the schedules
of the Dingley Tariff are interfered with,
il at least shows that tariff tinkering
is a pastime that can be INDUCED in with
impunity whenever the mania for it shall
have some special pretext or some par
ticularly strenuous pressure to urge /
on.
"Any way you look at it. this prelimi-
nary breach in the tariff wall would
seem to be very good thing for the
Democratic party"
IN another article the Economist do
ciares that "the Cuban reciprocity bill
is tariff revision pure and unadulteEated,
and adds:
Mr.. Reed did not think it wise to play
tariff revision tricks with the American
farmer. But tho Republican leadership
that has succeeded Mckinley, DinClcy
and Reed seem to hold different view.
It is apparently convinced that the farm
er is an easy mark, one who can be bun
coed with absolute impunity. 1t appar-
entIv thinks that tar revision on the
eve Of a presidential election is not dan
gerous.''
In view of these utterances it is easy
tn see that the Republican party Is just