Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-03
Mr. ROOTS SPEECH
Significance Attached to It
by Politicians.
"STANDPAT" ON TARIFF
POLICY TO BE ADOPTED BY THE
ADMINISTRATION.
Presidents Remarks on the Subject OF
Revision Eagerly Awaited by
Both Parties.

Deep significance is attached to the utter
ances Of Secretary Root upon tariff revi-
sion before the Home Market Club in Bos-
ton last night. In political circles this
speech. the tenor of which was known in
general way beforehand, has been dis
cussed for several days. Now that Secre-
tary Root has gone further than gossip
credited him with the intention of going
his speech is certain, it is said, to attract
wide attention.
There has been talk also that the Presi-
dent would voice in the west the sentt-
ments Mr.. Root has uttered in the east,
and that the administration ideas upon the
question Of tariff revision would thus get
wide circulation.
1t Is believed by democrats to be the in
tention Of the administration to. prepare
the country to receive the idea that no
tariff revision should be attempted by the
republican party prior to the coming presi-
should stand pat with the republican
party and permit that party to revise the
tariff after the next campaign Is settled
and all is lovely and serene again.
Two Main Ideas
Mr.. Roots speech. the substance of which
is published in another column, is con-
strued by politicians interested in the ques-
ton Of tariff revision to bring out two
main ideas: First, the inadvisability of re-
vising the tariff at all while prosperity
reigns. Second, the desrability Of post
poning revision at all hazards until after
the big political campaign impending.
Mr.. Root made one statement last night
which, in the opinion of those who dis
cussed his speech around politicians rem
devious today, puts him in the forefront
of the "stand-pat" element of his party.
He said:
1.-THE question is not whether under some
other law we might or might not have be-
come prosperous or whether under some
other law we may or may not in the fu-
ture attain prosperity. 1t Is that the pros
perity of productive enterprise which has
adjusted itself to the conditions that this
Dingley law has created, and the stability
of those conditions in substance is essential
to the continuance of this present period
Of prosperity
This is identified as "stand-pat" decla-
ration of a most emphatic character. The
only semblance of qualification of 1t Is in
the subsequent statement that If the law
works i'll to the country, then at the
proper time and in the proper way a SEN
sible people will change the law" That
semblance Of qualification is destroyed by
the very next sentence, however, as fol-
lows:
IF a law is working well as a whole.
common sense requires that we should en-
dure some faults, even though they be
serious. rather than destroy the general
good effect by a constant unker1ng."
Presidents Utterances Awaited.
With these utterances of the President s
chief Of staff on record, the politicians are
awaiting with deepest interest, the re-
marks Of Mr.. Roosevelt. It has been
known for several weeks that the stand
pat" republicans were working on the Pres
ident with might and main to eradicate any
ideas Of tariff revision which he might
have absorbed from the revisionist element
in Congress, during the conferences of the
past session. Line upon line and precept
upon precept have been ding -donged at him
to wean him to the side of the anti-revi-
sionists. There were Indications from his
remarks from time to time that he was
yielding to the pressure being brought to
bear upon him. Secretary Root has been
one of the most persistent Of the stand
pat" element Whether the Secretary s
speech reflects only his own views the
Presidents also will be demonstrated by
the Presidents addresses in his western
tour.
The subject Is deemed Of Importance by
the politicians because of a possible indi-
cation of the trend of administration pol
icy for the impending campaign. The dem
ocrats will weigh every word that Is ut
tered, 1t is said, and may shape their own
course accOrdinRly.