The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-18
CONFERENCES ON The TARIFF.
THE "IOWA IDEA" THE BURNING
QUESTION NOW.

EHerts to Have II SheIyed Until the Meet.
ing OF the Republican National Con.
yention In I9O4--PrOgramme for the
Next Session OF Congress Agreed Upon.
WASHINGTON, May 17--Last week there
we're several conferences between mem
bers Of the Cabinet, who are fully informed
on President Roosevelt's views. and the
few Republican Senators who have re-
manned in town since Congress adjourned
over the burning political questions of
tho tariff plank of the Iowa Republican
State Convention to be held next month.
The object OF the conferences has been to
make doubly sure the programme agreed
upon some time ago for virtually shelving
the tariff question in Iowa and elsewhere
until the meeting OF the Republican National
Convention in 1904
Negotiations between the Republican
leaders in Washington and the Cummins
faction Of Iowa Republicans have been
under way for several months, and it was
supposed that an understanding had been
reached to dodge the issue in Iowa this
year. when Secretary Shaw was credited
with the unfortunate remark that Cum
minis and his Iowa friends, who have been
loudly and persistently demanding an
immediate revision Of the tariff, had slid
down the pole" This was resented, and
Director OF the Mint Roberts and other
Iowa Republicans, who have been known
a. "revisionists," gave public assurances
that neither side had slid down the pole.
but that tariff plank had been practically
agreed upon that would be adopted in the
Iowa convention without a protest, and
which would be Endorsed and approved
by both tariff factions.
So much comment was caused by the
epigrammatic remark attributed to Secre-
tary Shaw that public statement of the
facts in the controversy and the attitude
of the anti-revision faction OF the Iowa
Republicans was practically, decided upon.
This idea was abandoned. however. after
a consultation of prominent Republicans.
and it is now hoped that nothing will pre-
vent the Iowa tariff programme, as ar
ranged by. Senator Allison, to go through
by n hs Docket and it has be eee
tndorsed by Secretary Shaw, Director
Roberts, who wrote the plank Of last years
platform, and Senators directly repre-
eenting the President. including those
who were recently in conference at Hot
Springs.
Senator Alddch, the chairman Of the
Hot Springs after his colleagues had left.
has returned to his home, and the future
x osho Of iii he VIII be esd 9 Prddpafa es the
summer at his home in Warwick, H. l.,
and at Newport Senator Spooner is
lingering in Washington for a few days
longer on private business, and Senator
Lodge. who represented the President President
left Washington to-day for his summer
home in Nahant. He will go to London
in September with Secretary Root and
ex-senator Turner Of Washington to repre-
sent the United States in the Alaska
boundary tribunal
Before the Senator's parted company for
the summer the programme for the next
session Of Congress was fully agreed upon
with the hearty approval Of the Presi-
set me w" 81, De esxs aftsp
election. for the purpose Of considering
the Cuban reciprocity treaty. While this
Is being done the House will organize.
Mr. Cannon will be elected Speaker and will
asss ns Is 1sd sss s tn: sesa i
work Of the session will be well under way
when the holiday recess occurs, instead of
being delayed. as is usually the case, until
No tariff legislation whatever will be on
the programme, except, perha pc, the making
OF new schedule for the Philippines; but
after the financial bill has been passed
the appropriation bills and such necessary
measures not involving political legislation
made to bring about the final adjournment
OF the session not later than May IS. This
will be an almost unheard Of date for end
ing Q long session In Presidential year,
but the President and the Republican mana
gers in both houses agree that it will be
nice thing to have short, business-like
session that will not give rise to long de-
bates and create new political issues.
The Presidential campaign will be fought
on the issues as they stand with the addi-
ton Of the passage Of financial bill based
on the lines Of the Aldrich bill. which the
Populsts killed In the closing hours of the
last session. A Republican Senator who
speaks with knowledge and authority said
yesterday:
Il will stake my reputation as political
prophet on the statement that tho first
session Of the Fifty eighth Congress will
have ended on the 18th Of May next. and
that no political legislation except the fnan-
cial bill will be enacted The custom Of
long-drawn out midsummer sessions Of
useless talk Is to he abolished at last. The
programme has been mapped out BY the
leaders and will be adhered to-"