Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-03-28
An Issue for the cnmpalen.


While local issues may largely affect
the elections to bo held in many States
next November, the element OF national
politics viii not be missing. An entire
House of Representatives is to be chosen
this year. and in nearly all the States the
elections for Congressmen will take place
in connection with the State elections,
in November. The choice OF a new House
OF Representatives, therefore, will inject
the issue Of national politics all over the
country.
Should Congress adjourn without enact
ing a law for the regulation Of railroad
rates, a declaration in favor Of such legis-
lation may be expected in every Demo
cratic State platform this year. But the
fact that it will appear in many Repub-
lioan State platforms, also, will free this
question Of purely partisan considerations.
For railroad rates regulation is not a par
tisan question, by any means. The bill
now pending in the Senate received in
the House Of Representatives the votes
Of all the Democratic members and Of all
but seven Of the Republican members.
In the Senate Il is being supported by
Democrats and Republicans and opposed
by Democrats and Republicans. It is
manifestly impossible, therefore, to make
It a partisan issue in the elections Of next
fall
But the attitude Of Congress towards
another question may servo TO inject a
great issue into the campaign for a new
Congress, and one which may afford a
golden opportunity to the Democratic
organizations in the various States II
they are wise enough to grasp Il. Il is
the vital, vigorous, never-to-die issue Of
tariff reform. The present Congress,
with It's large Republican majority In
eao h branch, will not even consider legis-
lation in the direction Of tariff revision,
and the session will come 10 an end, there
fore, with the present tariff law unchanged
in the slightest particular not even
amended to the extent Of giving justice
TO our subject people Of the Philippines
by allowing them free access to the markets
Of this country for their sugar and to-
bAcco.
How completely the Republican ma
iority In Congress proposes to ignore the
tariff question was sttested by Chairman
Payne Of the House ways and means COM
mitteo, in a letter TO Congressman Samuel
A. Mccall Of Massachusetts Mr.. Mccall
although Republican, is an ardent and
able advocate Of tariff reform, and in a
written communication 10 Chairman
Payne he called attention 10 the declara-
ton Of the latest Republican platform Of
Massachusetts, for a revision Of the tariff
in the direction Of lower rates. Replying
TO Mr.. McCalls communication, Chair
man Payne wrote: Congress is not pre-
pared TO review the tariff schedule in that
calm, judicial frame Of mind so necessary
TO the preparation Of a tariff act at a
time so near the coming congressional
elections. The Dingley bill was the most
successful ever enacted. Its practical
results were so evident 70 the country
during the is months that elapsed be-
tween ia passage and the next election
that the people have continued the policy
Of that bill to the present day. II would
be unfortunate should any precipitate
action in the future result In a temporary
reversal IN the policy of protection In the
United States" And In conclusion he
expressed the opinion that Il would not
be wise for Congress, at the present ses-
sion, Ito enter upon a confederation OF
the tariff, with view 90 lis revision and
readjustment"
There is no doubt that Chairman Payne
"spealSs by the book" and that there
will be no attempt at tariff revision during
the present session of Congress. For, nc
matter how willing the Senate might be-
and the Republican majority Of that
body is as hostile to tariff reform as is tn,
Republican majority Of the House-it il
helpless without the concurrence Of Oh,
House, and all revenue measures mus
emanate from the latter body Chair
man Payne, in his hostile tariff revision
views, but voices the edict of Speake
Cannon, and Speaker Cannon is the House
And so the revision and reform of tn,
tariff is still an open question, and Il i
sure TO be a stirring issue in the Congress
sional campaigns Of this year Many
Republicans throughout the country
particularly in Massachusetts and Iowa
are insistent In their demands for a reduc
ton Of tariff taxation. The Democrat
who does not favor a radical downwarC
revision of the tariff is merely protection
Republican, masquerading under th,
name Of a Democrat. Here, therefore
is the living, vital issue upon which th,
Democratic party may hope to conduc
a winning campaign.
Golfers Weekly, arrogant in the spiri