The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-18
PARTY SPLIT ON
TARIFF QUESTION
Taft as Leader of Progressives,
Shaw of Standpatters, -
Wage the Battle. xo>
ROOSEVELT Is WITH
THE TARIFF REFORMERS
Canal Purchase Policy Sets Poll
ticians to Talking Over
Next Campaign.
Special to The Journal.


on one side and the progressives on the
other.
Already two aspirants for tie repub-
lican presidential nomination in 1908
are taking position as leaders respect
lively of the rival factions. A most in
teresting phase of the affair is that both
of these aspirants and rivals are mem
bers of President Roosevelt's cabinet,
and that to this extent at least the adj
ministration is divided as to the tariff.
These clashing leaders are Secretary
of War Taft, the progressive, and Sec
rotary of the Treasury Shaw, the reac-
tionary. It is an open secret that
President Roosevelt's sympathies are
with Secretary Taft.
President Tariff Reformer.
The president is tariff reformer. He
welcomes the episode which has precipi-
tated another discussion of the tariff
questionable action of the Panama
commission in deciding to go into the
world s markets and buy where it can
buy cheapest, regardless of the home
market theories Of the protectionists.
The political pot in Washington, was
today fairly boiling, and that purchase,
oaaa seppRs Hd'{ the OF caore
needed to keep things bubbling.
Secretary Shaw was visibly ruffled.
AS one of the standpatters, as presi
Dental aspirant who has thru thick and
thin thought it wise to stand by the
historic policy of the party and to OPP
pose the slightest modification in the in
teerest of the progress, he was seriously
colossal blunder on the part of the adj
ministration with which he is as
ISOLATED.
Shaw Looked Solemn.
Mr.. Shaw shook his head and looked
solemn when the canal order was men
toned in his presence.
''Don't take too much stock in the
theory that President Roosevelt is re-
sponsible for this decision,' said the
secretary of the treasury to news
paper man. 81 warn you that if you
do you will make mistake''
When this admonition was reported
to Secretary Taft later in the day, the
tily. -.~ -
IT don't know who gave you your
warning,' he said, "but it will do no
harm to tell you that the whole affair
was thorolv discussed by and in the
presence Of President Roosevelt, and the
policy has his hearty approval. 1t
would not have been adopted had he
had objections to it. So far as respon-
elplllCy 1ol IHlS SledC crime is COIL
cerned, [ am quite willing to assume
ell that myself. -
President With Taft.
F. Mr.. Taft declined to say anything
more, but at the White House his YER
sion of the episode was amply confirmed
President Roosevelt is as earnestly in
favor of the policy adopted by the
canal commission as Secretary Taft
himself.
The law commands the president tc
construct ship canal across the Amer
lean isthmus as cheaply as possible. Tt
obey the law it may be necessary to buy
some supplies and materials abroad. II
will almost certainly be necessary tc
buy ships in foreign countries, and it i:
besides pretty well understood that
President Roosevelt is not at all dis
pleased at the turn of events bearing
upon the tariff question.
The deficit in the treasury, the pros
pective trade squabble with Germany
and now the right Of the government t
buy in the cheapest market have al
synchronized in focus of public atten
ton upon the Dingley law, and tn,
economic policy of the near future.
Roosevelt Is Happy.
Mr.. Roosevelt smiles over the out
look. Things are coming his way. 81
has not felt so good since he killed tina
last bear out in Colorado.
Altho the professional standpatter
and the protected interests and ship
builders, who are displeased at the cana
policy are bearing down on the war de
partmen.t with their protests and threat
ening to "raise hades'' if the commits
sion persists IN it's program, Secretar
Taft appears to be altogether happy
He believes he is right and he doesn ;
care how loud the hoWls are from tn
CALLED jades. So far as he is concerne
If the benefciaries of the protectiv
system start in to ruin his presidential
prospects, and succeed in doing so, h
will shed no tears. Mr.. Taft stand
by the decision despite that
But Shaw Is Worried.
With Mr.. Shaw it is different. He
30 crazy to be president, so eager t
catch at every straw that NAV help hi
prospects, that he thought he saw fin
opportunity in this business. He woul
seize 1t; he would pose as the outrage
and indignant friend Of protection an
the protectees, even at the risk of incu1
ring the displeasure of his chief in tn
White House.
Mr.: Shaw's notion is that if he ca
contrive to make the benefciaries G
protection realize that here in WASHING
ton he is their friend; that he is figh'
ing their BATTLES; that he is so devote
to their interests that he is willing
take all sorts Of risks in their behal
they may be grateful enough to turn
and use their mighty power in pushin
MIN along the road to the White Hons