The news & observer., 1904-11-16
Loud is the Cry for Tar
iff Revision.
NO SLElGHT OF HAND
But Real Cutting Down of Schedules.
And the Trusts Will ROOse-
welt Dare to Strike? "Help From
Sisyphus' Will He
Hear?
Especial to News and observero

tariff revisers in the Republican party
are talking since the election OF an
extra session of Congress after March |
for the purpose of re-arranSing and |
lowering the schedules of the Dingley
tariff act, it is not yet perfectly clear
that any such policy vii be adopted.
1t is true that one hears the state
ment that both Cannon and Dalzcll
are less strenuous than before last
Tuesday in urging that nothing be
done with the tariff for some time to
come. But the protected interests
proper-the huge trusts and linked
manufacturers all over the land
when did they ever recognize that the
time had at last arrived when the in
FAINT was Sure-footed enough to go
alone? OF course there has been some
discussion here. DalZel. who is the
brainiest Republican on the Ways and
Means committee was here last week
and it is believed touched on the sub
ject while calling on the President. 1t
is said that Roosevelt thinks now,
as he did two or three years ago,
that the tariff should be revised. But
his obligations to the stand patters
+ are considerable and their general
hold on the country is so firm while
the Republicans are in power, it is
difficult to see how the President will
venture seriously to offend them. And
yet this is precisely the occasion when
Il really courageous executive could
assert himself to advantage. Already
out of the race for 1908. having an
enormous majority of the people sus-
tanning him, why cannot Mr.. Roosevelt
say to the trusts and other manufac-
turers who wish TO stand pat, L
am now where / can carry out my
individual opinions and crafty the
1.li in,.ifN of ha
irrespective OF party. [ favor re-
vision of the tariff?'
The fact that there is a well-de-
fined doubt that he viii say anything
of the sort is significant. The trouble
is that Mr.. Roosevelt is not a big
man. if. indeed, he is possessed even
of the highest degree of moral cour-
age Nobody doubts his physical
courage. But the two things are en-
trely distinct.
Revise. Says Babcock.
Representative Babcock, chairman
of the Republican Congressional COM
mittec and a member in this Con-
gress of the Ways and Means COM
mitee, which has cogniZancC of rev.
enue questions. has come out boldly
again for tariff revision Some of his
utterances indicate that he means to
press the subject This gives what
significance there is to the revision
gossip. He says an extra session is
certain for the purpose of consider
ing the one topic of the tariff, be-
cause there is no time in the short
regular session from December to
March to give the matter serious at
tcntion. Mr. Babcock rccitcs the well
known fact that the northwestern
section Of the country desires revision
Just aS i'm 1851 will have to be
done by extra session for lack of time
in the short session. The Congress
sional campaign leader declines to
give even an approximate outline OF
the reforms demanded by the public.
He says he has studied only the steel
schedule.
But in his declaration that he is
an ultra Republican and Il protection
ist and his pointing simply to his bill
; introduced in this Congress he shows
the sort of principle he wishes adopt
ed i'm the work of revision. 1t will
hardly go far enough to satisfy the
country though too far to p.eaSc the
steel and iron interests of Pennsyl-
Vania and other States. He is careful
to say that he has never urged a
reduction of the tariff with view OF
striking at the trusts. oh, no. The
trusts furnish him and his committee
with funds to carry elections. But
what he says is II sort of concession
10 the Democratic policy. and there
fore interesting. Thus. Il would not
reduce the duties on any products De-
low the point that covers the differ
cnce in the cost of materials and tbs
price of labor. At present the sched-
ules in numerous instances are con-
siderably higher than is necessary to
cover that difference. That is practi
calIy the only issue Democrats now
have i'm Congress" Mr.. BabcOcl1
shows i'm his tenderness for the trusts
"A pretended tenderness for the work
ing men of the country. I'm attempt
ing" he SAYS ''to strike at trusts we
should run in danger of striking at
the laborer whom we wish to .pFo-
tect rather than the corporatior he
works for. But" and here he seems
TO differentiate. II do hold that when
we have a $50 per cent tariff where
a 100 per cent. tariff answers all the
purposes of legitimate protection, the
addition 80 per cent. of protection is
likely to be manipulated for the bene-
fit of that protected interest rather
than the consumers" Yes and he
might have added a larger than so
per cent. by a great deal.
\ Selfish Purpose
1he revisers want to cut down for
self1sh ~urpose. At last some pro-
tectlonists have sense enough to see
and candor enough to confess that a
tarif can be injurious TO interests they
hoNC oN hCoit dS well dS the protected
ones involved. Thus. Mr.. Babcock
says: "A reduction along the lines
contemplated would undoubtedly in
crease the revenue. The present rates
are in many cases prohibitiye AT 2
lower figure. which would meet all the
requirements for protection there
would be importations and according
ly money would flow into the treasury.
The proposed revision by lowering
schedules, should. in my judgment.
increase the revenues 10 per cent
which would suffice for all the nee6s
of government He then alluded to-
the river and harbor bill and a larger
naval programme. observing i'm con
cltLSion: .'The ar"ronriationS by Con-
gress this winter. in snte Of the
brevitv ef the session. will reach enor-
nous totals. perhaps more than a any