The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-25
FIGHIONTARIFFREFORM REVISION ISSUE TO COME UP IF PEOPLE ONLY DEMAND. Roosevelt Ready to Act Walter We'll man Says Congress Cannot Long
 Ignore Need of Lowering
 Duties.


 Walter Wellmans Washington Special
 to Chicago Record Herald.
 Tariff reform will not stay down. It
 persists in coming to the front. There
 is again a prospect that Congress will
 be forced to do something next winter. At the present time 1t is considered about a toss-up whether Congress will succeed in ignoring the subject another year or whether public opinion will force 1t to act. if not with a general revision, then with certain legislation designed to meet special requirements. It Is now generally known that Presi- dent Roosevelt has determined finally | to call a special session of Congress for November 10 next to take up the rail- | way question. This information was given in these dispatches @ week ago l and a telegram from Oyster Bay today says President Roosevelt has confirmed | the news. As a matter of fact. he con | firmed it a week ago, but 1t Is not gen.
 orally known that the President Is
 watching the commercial situation and public opinion very carefully. and that | he is determined to press tariff reform | legislation the first moment he thinks | an opportunity favorable to success has | arisen. How soon this moment will come no one knows. It may come this | fall or In the winter; 1t may be post
 
 will decide. If the people want tariff
 reform--if they want a step taken to- | ward removing some of the inequalities | of the present tariff system and toward | reduction of the cost of the necessities l of life-they should bring pressure to | bear upon their representatives in the national legislature. Writing individual | letters to Senators and Representatives | Is the best way to secure results Fill their mails with appeals for action. Not long ago President Roosevelt conferred with a number of his friends as to his tariff policy during the coming year. The conferees were certain pro- gressive members of the cabinet and personal friends of the Prsident who do not hold any public office. They discussed the matter In all it's bear ings and reached these general conclu-
 sions, to which President Roosevelt as- sented and which correctly represents
 his attitude at this time.
 There should be a moderate revision
 of the tariff schedules.
 This revision should be downward, not upward. Foreign competition should be slight
 ly stimulated In order to keep prices down to a reasonable basis.
 Protection should be reduced on all articles which American manufacturers sell cheaper abroad than at home, Reciprocity agreements should be made with Germany and other nations for the purpose of enlarging American
 commerce abroad and to protect from loss the commerce which we already have.
 The administration should take the | lead In urging these reforms upon the Congress, but the President should not | do so till he is convinced the Congress | is ready to follow his recommendation with action.
 As the President himself expressed 1t at the conference with his friends,
 tariff reform should be had. and the l administration Is heartily for it. but 1 nothing is to be gained by starting up | a quarrel between the administration
 and the leaders in Congress. 1 The decision was as stated--to press | tariff action whenever there appears to
 bo fair prospect for success Recent events have raised the ques- l tion whether or not that favorable op- l portunity Is near at hand. The German 1 problem, first outlined in these dis l patches, must be met. The deficit in | the treasury must be remedied. The l Panama purchase furry served to rouse | public attention.
 | Rut this is not all. The call for the | l attracted a great deal of attention in | the East and in political circles. That | demand for action came from the stock | raising and agricultural interests of the | Mississippi Valley and is regarded by | the progressives as a move in the right | direction.
 l Now comes aid from an unexpected
 quarter The Merchants Association | of New York has issued q circular de- manding action on the part of Congress l to protect American commerce abroad and suggesting reciprocity as the | remedy.
 1 The New York merchants make 1t | nlajn that 1t Is a condition and not a | theory with which the American Con gress Is confronted. Continental Flu 1 rope has become high -protestionist It 1 is seeking bargains. Where 1t cannot l trade on fair terms. 1t will hit. There l has been great ado about the Chinese | hoycott of American goods. Impor- | tant as that Is. 1t Is not drop in the bucket compared with American trade interests jeopardized on the continent