The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-08
REVISION THE SLOGAN.
B Republicans to Use Promise of Tariff
 Changes. ;

Republicans to Use Promise of Tariff Walter weliman's Washington Special
 to Chicago Record.EIera1d
 t is the policy of the Republican party leaders to enter upon .. revision of the from newt December. They will declare in their platform to be adopted at chica- go that the tariff should always be re- vised when new conditions make revision advBaple. and that of course. the task 2r reyision should be committed to the goes without. saying that the platform VIII renew the allegiance of the party fo the protection principle. As for re- ciprocity, little will be said, and the gen. ter: for everyone knows the Republican party is not in favor of real reciprocity, and President Roosevelt wishes to have no insincerity in the platform.
 Although the Chicago convention will lar date or by tho Congress wh,ch is to pc elected this year. confning its state- ment of party purpose to general lan- guages 1t is the general understanding that revision is to be taken up in De- retain control of the House of Represen- tatives. This is President Roosevelt's policy and the leaders of the party agree with him. It was long ago declared in these dispatches that there would be no tariff changes before the Presidential election. but that the promise of revision immedtateily thereafter would be used In this years campaign as a sort of two- edged sword--on one hand holding out promise of change to those who believe and on the other stimulating the zeal of manufacturers, who wish to make sure that the new rates shall be fixed by their friends and that they shall be rates which are reasonable from their standpoint.
 The Republican leaders think 1t good politics to talk early revision of the tarin, for these reasons:
 l. It tends to bring the tariff question to the front, and that is an issue on which the Republicans are always glad to
 2. The promise of early revision pieases western and New England Republicans who have been complaining of some in- equalities in the present schedule.
 $. By giving manufacturers and others interested in the maintenance of protec- ton to understand that a revision Is im- pending their interest in the campaign may be stimulated, with corresponding advantage to the Republican campaign fund. It Is an open secret that the Re- publicans do not expect to get the bulk of their campaign money from the rail- roads or big financial interests, as they did in 1896 and 1900, but from the manu- lecturers. who are interested in almost every letter and figure in the tariff law.
 It is an open secret that he leading men of the Republican party, who have been in conference here for several days, and who are to return for another con sultation in three or four weeks, or just before the Chicago convention, are a good deal worried over the danger that they may lose the House of Represen- tatives. A loss of less than twenty seats would wipe out the Republican majority in the present House. If the Democrats ''get together for Parker, Mcclellan. Towne or any other conservative candi- date they may be able to put up fight the lower branch of Congress. The managers think the more the tariff is brought to the front the less danger there will be of losing the House for tariff agi- tation, which helps the Republicans among employers and workingmen alike.
 At the same time the Republican chiefs do not deceive themselves with the belief that they can make the tariff the over shadowing issue in the coming camr Gsn. The people make the issues. Political managers may propose, but the people adislose The Republicans who have been In conference with the President for some days say they intend to do all they can to give prominence to the tariff, but they are convinced the one great issue will be Theodore Roosevelt. They de- and are prepared to meet the enemy
 "Uncle Joe" Cannon put the case very we'll to Mr. Roosevelt himself at the White Hous6 conference last Sunday night After a good deal of talk about