The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-09
TARIFF REVISION
LIKELY TO WAIT
Standpatters Will Use Press of
Other Business to Sidetrack
Question. ~..~
BY w. w. Jermane.

Washington, Aug. 9.-The American
Protective Tariff league, that vigilant
organization which heads the stand
pat movement in the. republican par
ty, has issued circular which indi-
Gates that, to it's mind, there is no
danger of tariff revision in the next
session of congress. The league is very
strongly opposed to revision, and, ac
cording to the circular referred to, it
is getting ready for the congressional
campaign of next year, desiring to have
the sixtieth congress, if republican, as
strongly against revision as the fifty
ninth.
Standpatters generally take the view
that there is to be no revision in the
present congress, basing it upon the
number of important questions to come
up next winter. At the head Of the
list is railrOad-rate making, on which
the president has set his heart. This
question will occupy a very consider
able amount Of time in each house, and
is itself sufficiently big to crowd out
any question of the Importance of the
tariff.
Insurance to Come Up.
The general insurance question will
also occupy time. The president will
probably renew his former recommen-
dation for a national insurance law,
and in the light of the Equitable stu
alton, it will now command a good
deal of serious attention. The isthmian
canal question will also come up, and
its consideration may take much time.
The federal deficit is another question
of the first Importance and interest,
and minor questions relate to the Phil
ippines, regarding which Secretary
Taft is likely to make recommended
tions as the result of his visit; Chinese
exclusion and American trade in Asia !;
the peace terms between Russia and
Japan, which may lead to a protracted
debate on our foreign policy and naval
program, and reciprocity, as illustrated
by the new German tariff.
Here, as the standpatters believe, is
enough business to keep congress going
without reference to the tariff. And
the standpatters are probably right.
The tariff question will probably come
up, and it would not be surprising if
the president should allude to it in his
message. But the session will prob
ably not last longer than six months,
in which time only limited number
OF subjects can be discussed to final
1ty, and IN any general blockade of
business the tariff would stand no show
of getting serious consideration.
Revisionists' Case Strong.
At the same time; however, the re-
visionists never have had a stronger
case than they have at present. Both
at home and abroad the situation points
to the necessity for action. The fed
eral deficit; the trade outlook with
Germany and the nations which form
with her the new European trade pool;
the unfavorable outlook for larger
trade with Canada, whose wonderful
development at present is attracting
the attention OF the entire world, and
is one of the wonders of this wonder
ful era; the threatened boycott of
American goods in Asia-all these are
questions which, under normal condi-
lions, ought to bring the tariff to the
front as leading issue. But with a
speaker Of the house who, with the
ways and means committee behind him,
is unfavorable to action, and with the
senate leaders joining hands with him.
revision seems to be entirely out of the
question.
Delay Seems Probable.
1t now looks as if the tariff question
would 90 under until the next. presi-
Dental campaign, in which it will form
one of the chief issues-the chief one,
if the conservatives can control the
democratic organization-and that
meanwhile there will be a preliminary
tariff sklrmlsh in the off-year campaign
Of 1906. The standpatters are in abso-
Lutte control of the republican organiza-
ton in congress, and they will not yield
save under compulsion. A panic would
the 1906 elections; but neither of these
bridges will be crossed in advance. Suf-
fcient unto the day is the evil thereof
say the standpatters, and in the pleni-
tuqe Of their present power they can
well afford to feel temporarily secure