Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-12-10
The Pledge to Reform.

The Pledge to Reform.
Will the Republican party carry out
its pledge to reform the Dingley tariff?
| 1t could scarcely have hoped for sue
cess IF the late election without Il plank
Hin its platform to this effect. and the
| voters OF the northwest believed this
plank would be carried out. Tariff re-
form is very strong in the northwest.
especially In Minnesota, Wisconsin. To-
wa. Nebraska and the Dakotas, and
the Democrats thought at one time
that this sentiment-the Iowa idea, as
IL was called in Difference TO Governor
Cummins of that state-wouId prove
the rock upon which the Republican
party would go down TO defeat.
The insertion I'm the platform Of
plank promising reform of the tariff
whenever this could be done without
injury to the business interests of the
country checked any desertion from
the Republican ranks. Perhaps Mr..
Roosevelt's personality helped TO pre-
vent this loss, for the president Is gen
orally understood to be anything but
radical protectionist and strongly in
favor of a revision of the tariff. espe-
cially in the direction OF goods pro-
duced or controlled by the trusts.
Will the Republicans carry out the
promise made I'm their platform. and. If
so. how do they propose TO go about it?
The leaders are already discussing the
matter. and the people generally are
anxious to hear something definite on
the subject.
Ii Is announced from Washington
that the plan just now i'll favor is not
to bring up tariff revision ut the regu-
lar session. but to postpone all action
to an extra session TO be called In the
spring. The arguments in favor OF
such action are sound and good. The
regular session will have so much be-
fore IL that IL will be difficult for il to
prepare any intelligent tariff bill.
Moreover. the revision OF the tariff is
unquestionabIy n difficult undertaking.
and some little time should be allowed
for n consideration Of the many prob
lens involved. For congress to do the
work hastily would inevitably lead to
bad results. General business could
easily be disposed OF ut the regular
session. leaving the special session to
the exclusive consideration OF the
tariff-an arrangement that would al
low the most careful consideration pos
sible. We can imagine no plan more
likely TO produce good results than con-
filming congress TO a single subject.
To many the proposition not TO take
ND the consideration OF the tariff at the
regular session will be regarded as a
Republican Tick intended To- indefinite
iy postpone xhis dangerous and diff
cult problem. but the most bitter enc
mics OF Mr.. Roosevelt have never &C
cuse,i him OF being n dodger. and as the
call for the extra session in the spring
will depend on him alone the chances
are I'm fsva- Of its being called. es-
pecially as Mr.. Roosevelt realizes as
well as any Democrat can that the
DingIey tariff must he revised.
Ii * safe. therefore. 10 predict an
extra session of congress To act on the
tariff What it will do. whether IL will
do anything NJ all. is the doubtful
point IL will be test OF Republican
sincerity and will show how closely
the party is identified with or tied TO
No one doubts that there are many
Republicans in tive northwest who IA
vor tariff ref1orm. but there are equally
as many who like the present duties
and who will vigorously oppose any
change The contest in congress is
likely to be an Interesting and exciting
one. and u is more than probable that |
II will notsbe conducted wholly on par
~ lines
The Republican leaders know that |
they must tackle the tariff now. To |
dodge the issue. To go into another l
under the Dingley tariff. Is |
to assure their defeat. but the revision |
Is almost as dangerous. and unless the |
reformers are stronger chan we believe
them to be they will not be able TO
make any material change The chances
are for a hodgepodge. the Dingiey bill
up here and there so as TO look
ike something new, yet not interfere
with the vested interests with which
the Repub lican party is SO closely iden-
W. Orleans Tlmes1Qemocrat- >