The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-04-02
Revision of the Tariff
Dependent Upon Allison
He Wants Protective Tariff Cut TO Limit o1
Protection, But Committees Fail to See
the Point in Same Light

The sort of tariff revision that win be
effected after the next Presidential cleo
ton depends in large degree on whether
William Boyd Allison retains his health
and strength sufficiently 10 be able 70
dominate the reorganization Of Senate
committees next December and at the
session two years thereafter.
Senator Allison is the one man who
has power and position that viii make
# possible for him to squeeze real re-
vision through the Committee of Finance
Of the Senate. What he insists upon
will Ego" with that committee, al
though IL may be opposed to the wishes
Of many Of the men from whom he asks
it.
Allison wants revision that everybody
Will know is real revision. He has re-
Deatedly declared that revision should
be carried TO the point where the sched-
uIes would constitute a protection TO
the difference between cost OF produc-
ton in this country and abroad, but no
more.
AS chairman OF the steering committee
Alison really dominates the makeup of
Senate committees. It is impossible IN
the near future 10 make the Finance
1DlillAllllEb any llliiR DhA q
body on both the Democratic and Re
publican sides II has been long stuffed
for that purpose. 1t viii make only
such concessions in tariff revision as its
members may be induced to believe are
politically necessary. Its present mem
bership contains not only d group OF
Republicans, who have additionally
been for high schedules, but, on the
: N. b
sugar. the cane sugar, the tobacco, and
other interests that have small use for
revision.
Allison is the one man who can han
die this remarkable aggregation, so that
the outcome Of this tariff contest so
largely depends on him.
Foraker, Vice Spooner.
OF the co lmittees on which vacancies
Of import q occur, that OF finance is
most impo. mt as relating 10 matters
of legislative policy. There will be but
one change on this committee, caused
by SpoOners resignation. The vacancy
presumably will be filled by a Middle
Western man, and Foraker seems most
likely TO De named. though both Elkins
and Perkins Of California will be Wig
orous aspirants. This committee is the
one which will have to do with tariff
legislation Analysis of its personnel as
il stands today suggests that il would
normally be decidedly against tariff re-
vision.
After the Presidential election there
may be considerable change in the com
mlttee Allison, Plat, and HansbrOugh
may all make vacancies. Plat surely
will his present term ending in 1909.
PIatts place on the committee would be
filled by EIkins or Kean II neither Of
them went on meanwhile as successor
10 SpoOneT. Thus the possible changes
add little 10 the prospect OF the COM
mittee taking any but an extremely con-
servatiye view Of tariff changes a
radical tariff reform committee is not
possible for a good many years, hardly
within the Presidential term that will
begin in 1893.
Foreign Affairs.
Foreign Affairs is. perhaps, next in sig
nifcance in its relation TO questions Of
public policy. SpOoner retires from this
committee, and makes the only assured
vacancy on the Republican side; while
Clark OF Montana, of the Democratic
side. goes on Tillman would like the
Democratic place. and Knox and Piles
of washington are said 10 be after
the shoes Of SpoOner. Deliver IS an
other man eligible and entitled TO pro-