Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-08-23
AT ODDS
The Stand Patters Have Trouble
In Their Own Ranks.
A REVOLT AGAINST THE MAOIIEE

S~ccretary Dover OF the Republican
National Committee Disngrccs With
Other Leaders on The Tariff Issue.
Chickens, Coming Home to Roost.
The dis%organization Of the Republic
an party Is growing apace. Every
where there are revolts against the
machine leaders who would stife the
voice Of the rank and file Of the party
on issues and candidates. In spite Of
President Roosevelt's adhesion to the
stand pat programme Of the Repub-
lican congressional leaders and man
ayers, the demand for tariff revision
WILL not down, because the people are
clamorous for relief from tariff fostered
trust high prices. The latest protest
against the stand pat issue comes from
Secretary Elmer Dover Of the Repub-
lican national committee, who, in an
Interview in the Washington Post,
July %, said: Local conditions should
govern in a matter Of this kind. 1t is
- w NAOoS oul Cd W liz luCl
that there is a demand for tariff revi-
sion in many parts Of the country, and
there are many Republican candidates
for congress to whom it might prove
disastrous to stand pat this fall. In
some districts Republicans are going to
win by declaring in favor Of revision
Of some of the Dingley schedules; in
others Republicans will be elected on
an a%ntirevision platform. Local senti-
ment must be recognized to a great
extent, and a stand patter is likely to
lose by disregarding it, and vice versa"
This is an extraordinary statement
from a leading official of the Republic
an party just when President Roose-
welt and the congressional campaign
committee have decided to stand pat
on the tariff and shows a schism in
Republican councils that is very en-
formers, for it must not be supposed
that MI. Dover would fly in the face Of
President Roosevelt and the congress
sional campaign managers unless his
opinion Of the necessities Of the cam
paign was strongly supported by some
members of the national committee
and other Republican leaders.
Dover's plan is not to hamper the
congressional candidates with the
stand pat issue, but leave each INT to
follow the bent of the voters Of his
district, so as not to lose votes. If
70 nj ff 1,oxyicioo ry0c q 1ir,onf iccI1n In oil
the congressional districts, there is no
doubt that a majority Of the members
elected to the next congress would
favor tariff reform. There are quite
a number Of Republican members in
the present congress who were either
raw materials or a reduction Of duties
on such products of trusts as are sold
cheaper abroad than here.
But what did it amount to? The Re
publican congress was dominated by
the extreme protectionists, and the eau
Gus chose a stand patter for speaker,
and the voice Of those who had pledged
their constituents to vote for reform
was stifed. No tariff reform measure
was allowed to be considered or dis
cussed.
If the Republicans this fall elect a
majority Of the members Of the next
congress, the same conditions will pre-
vail, for Speaker Cannon and the
stand pat majority will again control
and again stifle any revision sentiment
in the Republican ranks.
There is but II way that a Repub-
for tariff revision can make his vote
count, and that is by refusing to enter
the Republican caucus, and if such
caucus selects a stand pat candidate
for speaker to vote for the Democratic
candidate. In case Of the next con
gress being quite nearly divided po-
litically such a vote from a few Repub-
lican or independent members might
turn the scale.
But how many Republican candidates
will pledge themselves to take such an
Independent course, and how many
can be relied upon to bolt their party
even if such a pledge was given?
Many Republican voters have been
fooled in some districts in the past
three congressional campaigns, and
their experience of Republican candi-
dates professions for tariff reform and
their lack Of performance has taught
them that such promises are worthless
under the caucus system that compels
the minority to accept the issues laid
down by the majority. Therefore the
only relief from trusts and tariff plum
dering is to elect Democrats or. con-
tinue to pay the taxes to the trusts
that the tariff fosters and the high cost
of living that the trusts impose by vir-
tue Of the protection that the trusts