Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1904-12-23
REvIsIoN's POOR OUTLOOK
Republican Senators Passing Out In
terviews with a Decidedly
Trusty Flavor,


No more appropriate title than "the
Did guard" could be bestowed upon the
old reliable friends of protection in the
senate. They are stanch and sea-
soned crew, having weathered the
storms of many public clamor for the
reduction Of the duties which feed the
trusts, Already the "old guard" are
gathering round their common inter-
ests and preparing another stand-pat
defense, The first preliminary is the
passing out Of interviews. The inter-
views, by wonderful coincidence,
come simultaneously, in bunch,
We are informed, says the st.
Louis Republic, that Senator AID
rich, of Rhode Island, chairman Of the
finance committee of the senate, does
not want an extra session." and that
"Spooner, of Wisconsin, does not think
an extra session at all necessary, and
he predicted that none would be called"
Senator Hale, who has just arrived
1t is wired from the scene of interview
ing, takes the ground that nobody in
his state desires to have the tariff re-
vised." Whew! What a whopper-or
shall we say misconception?-of the
senator's! Up here in his state along
the Canadian border have come the
most insistent demands for revision,
so the world is informed.
Senator Foraker is passing out inter-
views with the regularity of printing
press, in which he advises most strong
ly against touching the tariff. Mind
you, it mustn't even be touched; indeed,
it mustn't even be approached. Sen
ator Foraker intimates, really, that the
tariff shouldn't be mentioned out loud,
but only with bated breath. And re-
move your hat, please. But the in
terview which adds most to the gayety
of nations comes from Senator Lodge.
whose state has just elected demo-
cratic governor on the tariff-reform
issue. Senator Lodge therefore must
proceed gingerly and he trims around
to the proposition that perhaps a few
duties might be touched"-observe the
phraseology-"bu not many" And he
refuses to say that there ought to be
an extra session for the special pur-
pose of touching"
Senator Penrose, of Pennsylvania,
finds the present tariff perfect" Even
Mr.. Dryden, that most prudential SEN
ator, is understood to be much opposed
to revision. And so the story runs
And it's rather sad story when you
consider the interests" and moving
forces which are behind these miracu-
lousy simultaneous and marvelously
spontaneous utterances.
Standard oil, iron and steel interests,
the rubber trust, the international Pa
per company and others are planning, it
Is stated, to have the old senatorial
guard go to the president in solid body
and tell him that If he opens the tariff
question it will hurt the party; and
urge him to let the question go over
for another year What would he say
in that event?
The people cannot but build their
hopes upon Mr.. Roosevelt. He is in fact
their last hope for relief With presi-
dent set sternly toward revision where
by even the most conservative view re-
vision appears right and proper, there
will at least be some respite from the
robberies by the privileged monopolies
and some protection for the people,
Mr.. Roosevelt politically has been a
stand-patter, but not by conviction
Free now to adopt the attitude which
conviction and conscience define, free
to read clearly the signs of the times
eloquent of public desire for lowered
tariff walls and disarmed trust robbers
Mr.. Roosevelt might influence if not in
TACT compel reductions for the public
benefit.
In electing the president the people
cannot be said to have Endorsed all the
evils of his administration. They GER
tainly have not yielded their demands
that the obvious inequities and Grim
inal injustices of the Dingley schedules
be remedied President Roosevelt re-
jects the doctrine that revision is a cure
for the grosser trust evils but he has
apparently recognized the necessity fol-
revision in some extreme instances
where it most plainly exists, and in {
vague way his belief in conservative re.
vision has been held forth to the peo
. pie That a certain reliance has beer
placed upon it is true. The revision
, which he might bring himself to pro
mote would probably come far short O
a general and proper REIMBURSEMENT O.
duties, but If it should amount to any
real and practical revision it would b.
a step in the right direction to provok,
: profound public gratitude. If it went t
the extent~te which many people hav,
been led to believe 1t would go, If Mr.
, Roosevelt fulfilled the vague and sug
q gestive promise and justified popula
faith, we should have something ap
proximatng effective revision. TIL
public, long plundered is in position
where it will be thankful for small ia
/. vors in the way of relief.
Revisions outlook is not bright, blu
~ the people seem to be optimistic whel
they turn toward Mr.. Roosevelt The,
homo for the hest from him