The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-20
DE,soCnATrC PROSPECTS.

I ft tiG HCAl SOHtItsS olS nv" Nr VI bad, Judging from indications as they now appear Some of the best informed Republicans are at least apprenensive' and one member. whose name is not given. but who is referred to as one of the most eminent Republicans m Congress. recently gave,it as his opin- ion, that there wilF be Democratic sweep in the next Congressional eiec- 1 ton"
 | Of course such opinions are predica- | ted on the apparent trend of events now and recently. It is possible for everything to be so changed that the Republicans will practically have 1t all to themselves in the next election but it does not look that way now. In fact. any one who keeps properly in- formed. must see that there Is very much more than fighting chance for the Democracy next fall.
 If this much desired consummation is realized the Republicans may know that themselves and their President are largely responsible for it. They are fast losing faith and confidence in Roosevelt. because they have become |,conyinced that he cannot be relied op. On various occasions he has shown lack of prudence, firmness, consistency and moral courage. But few months ago he was looked up to as model or statesmanship and political wisdom. His word was law and his judgment was regarded as infallible. It requires but a casual knowledge of recent events to show that a decided change has come over his party, and that they no longer look to him as the fountain of wisdom and fine statecraft. In short. good Republicans no longer re- gard him as the man to lead or even to point out the way for their foot steps.
 k But leaving the President out of 1t, intelligent Republicans must see and fully realize that their party has not so conducted itself as to give it any strong claims on the country. Take the tariff, for example. It will not do for them to say that the demand for revision and reduction comes only from Democrats, for it would not be true, nor would it be any nearer the truth to say that the demand comes only from the South. From the extreme East as well as from the West and Middle West come persistent demands for tariff revision and they come from Republicans. These demands are both persistent and 7fnsistent, and refuse to be sileneed. What is more, they come from sources which have much to do with Republican success or failure at the polls.
 And how is this demand for re- vised tariff system met? By promises which are not kept and by evasions which have ceased to deceive Those of all parties who favor tariff changes in the interest of justice and fairness cannot much longer be put off by dodg- CTS The platitudes that the tariff must and will be revised by its friends" and that revision will come in due time" can no longer satisfy sem sible people. They are tired of being fed on chaff. The friends of the tariff are those who are benefited by 1t as it now stands and they want no change. The proper time for revising It will be when it's beneficiaries are satisfied, and that time will never come.
 There are such evident signs of un7 rest and dissatisfaction on this one subject that 1t is difficult to believe that Republicans do not see and under stand it's gravity, but the tariff is on- ly one of many important questions upon which they are so thoroughly divided and at cross purposes that 1t would seem impossible. for them to ever agree. The Philippine matter. the Statehood bill, the railway regulation bill, are among the matters of legisla@ tion on which there is no sembiafce of harmony. In short, there has been so much mismanagement, disagreement and bitter feeling that it certainly looks as if Democratic success can on- ly be missed by blundering In our own ranks If we fail to control the next House it will be because we deserve to fail.