The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-22
Ranuhlinan Tariff Revision.

Was the recent overwhelming re publican victory a pronouneement against "meddling" with the tariff schedules. or was it not?
 The "stand-patters ardent and noisy supporters of MT. Roosevelt before election-seem after election to have changed their base of standing pat" and are now moving toward the conversion of the republican party to the idea of tariff reforms. Even so violent a republican mouthpiece as the New York Tribune comes to the front with a demand that the tariff be mod ernized." The term sounds less harsh than would reduced" and perhaps less democratic. "Modernization" may not give serious offense to the old-line orthordox republicans who were i'm pressed with the idea during the re- pi.blican campaign that the tariff schedule as it now stands was sacred, and that ruin would come to our "in- fant industries" if it was tempered with in the least way.
 Governor Cummings, author of the 'Iowa idea," and MT. Foss of Massa' chusetts, representing the New Eng land ieductionists, are among tha /nany Iaen frcm the east and rom the west who i.,e leading in this fight within the republican ranks for mod ernizi. g" the tariff and it is said they have the ear of the President. The south seems quiet now, having just reiterated it's opinion on the subject at the ballot box on the Sth of this month.
 It is understood that to "modernize" the tariff means to reduce those duties which permit the sale of products in this country at higher rates than they are sold at abroad; to abolish duties upon those articles which are pro- duced in America at less cost than in Great Britain, Germany, France or other foreign countries, and, perhaps, to let in free raw materials to the American manufacturing industries which cannot successfully compete in foreign markets unless they are en- abled to obtain their hides, their lum- Der and their wool on the same terms as their foreign competitors are able to purchase them.
 The following remarks come with peculiarly startling force from so pro nounced a republican exponent as the New York Tribune.
 "The Dlngley act was passed nearly eight years ago. Since then a wonderful development in American manufactures and commerce has occurred. No wise and patriotic man can wish to arrest that de- velopment, but he must realize that in some respects the country has outgrown the law, and that in some other respects. as experience has demonstrated. the law was faulty from the beginning The iron and steel schedules have certainly been outgrown and need revision. Some tim plate manufacturers concede that they do not need any longer the measure of protection which they receive
 "The leather duties, which are intend ed to protect cattle raisers, seem by a miscalculation to nave resulted in ham pering the manufacturer for export of heavy leather .oods made from thick South American hides. and in making those goods unnecessarily dear at home. Then more and more the people realize the shortsightedness and folly of taxes on books and art. The supposed benefici- aries of these taxes almost unanimously demand their repeal. Our duty to the Philippines and our selt interest also prompt the opening of our doors to their trade. Their prosperity is the solution of our insular problem"
 All of which is quite interesting to the democrats of the country, who did not wait until after election to dis cover some of the hardships and un- just burdens of the present tariff schedule. The matter of tariff reduc- tion or tariff "modernizing" or what ever it may be called is now up to tho republican party and the country will watch it's handling of the ques- ton.