Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-01-13

Tariff Revision and the Trust Problem

To revise or not to revise the tariff
has been the burden Of many Of the de-
spatches sent from Washington within
a few days. The President has been in
favor Of a revision. On Saturday he
held a conference with the leaders of the
Senate and House. Senators Aldrich, Platt
OF Connecticut, Spooner and hllison-"the
big four'-and Speaker Cannon, Repre-
sentatives Grosvenor, Dalzell and Tawney.
1t was announced after this meeting that
schedules would be investigated with a
view to having the tariff bill in readiness
to he introduced at an extraordinary ses-
sion next fall 1t was stated Wednesday,
however that Speaker Cannon had made
canvass of the House. which showed
that Of 196 Republican members 1853 were
opposed to an extra session of Congress
and a revision OF the tariff Thirty-eight
were in favor OF an extra session and
immediate revision, and II were not poll
ed
Representative Tawney Of Minnesota
who had led the fight for a revision, gave
up the contest and admitted that he had
been deserted by his friends in droves.
Several states with large Republican
membership do not furnish a single vote
for revision. This is notably the case
with Maine, Maryland West Virginia.
New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Illinois
Some representatives, from Illinois would
like some revision, but all are standing
by the speaker. Out of Il Republican
members from Ohio only two favor re-
vision. out OF 10 from Iowa only five
want revision. Michigan has Il Repub-
leans and only one is for revision Every
Republican member from the Pacific slope
is a stand patter"
The revision movement is confined very
largely TO Wisconsin and Minnesota
Massachusetts shows up in a rather in
definite light Her ten representatives,
appear To be in favor OF some sort Of re-
vision. When pressed they confess they
want free hides and free coal. but when
the suggestion OF taking protection off
shoes Is made they oppose such thing
There is also some sentiment in Connecu-
cut for revision. The New York Herald
quoted Representative IInskns OF Yer
mont as in favor OF some revision. and
said that Representative Foster was in
favor Of changes and believed that the
matter should be disposed OF next spring
There is unquestionably far more senti-
ment In the country at large for revision
than in Washington The national leg
islators know from experience the ex-
trcme difficulties of harmouzing varied
interests in handling schedules when once
the tariff changes are begun. and OF the
depressing effect through uncertainty
which is likely to take place in the bust
ness OF the country. II seems, however,
that certain rates might be changed with
out general oyqrhaallinfp,pf. the tariff.
The pronotn ,.egit.sttst., - tfle Republic
cans in Congress. at variance with the
view of the President. is the best ammu-
milton for the next campaign that the
Democrats have had in eight years When
a man like James c. Wallace, president Of
the American ship building company. tes-
tihes that the steel trust is selling to
ship builders abroad steel plates for S2l
a ton for which It receives S32 per ton in
Pittsburg. 1t would appear that something
is the matter
Apparently the President seeing that
he can accomplish nothing with Congress
against him. viii drop tariff revision at
a special session, but will fight for legis-
lation at this session of Congress relating
to the interstate freight rates of rail-
roads II he is not successful he will bring
the subject before Congress in extraor-
dinary session. He holds that in the
freight rate a great moral principle is in
volved, one very near to the people of the
whole country He regards 1t as the par
amount issue, far more important than
the tariff. in that it is the key to the
whole trust problem