Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-11-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent!

Washington, ID. G., Nov. 1.-THE |
election over, public interest is directed
to the next national event OF import
ance, which will be the assembling of
Congress, the Presidents message and
the attendants of the ending of a re-
markable administration. In pOliti-
cal circles, there is much talk about
tariff legislation, with the generally
expressed opinion, however, that the
circumstances do not favor radical tariff
changes. 1t is thought probable that
with Speaker Cannon returning with
the vindication of large popular ma
jority from his district and Mr.. Dalzell
of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Payne of
New York, all reelected and all stand
patters, tariff reform will have, as us
ual, hard road to travel. In the SEN
ate the conditions will not be more ia
vorable. AS usual, Aldrich, Hale, Bur
rows and other standpatters will re-
main firm against any important
change in the various schedules. The
demand for revision, of course, comes
chiefly from the West and the South,
but the demand is not unanimous from
any locality. General Hancock was
much derided years ago for his remark
that the tariff was local question,
though his characterization is now
known to have hit the mark. Tennes-
see and Alabama will join hands with
Pennsylvania in opposing reduction
of the tariff on iron. Texas and Mon
tana and many states lying between
them will oppose reduction ofthe tariff
on hides, although Massachusetts has
long insisted on such reduction. And
so it is throughout the various sched-
ules. Local and special interests will
be able to carry the day against uni
yersal necessity. In many cases the
revision it is thought will be upward
instead of downward. This will be the
case with certain products of the farm
and dairy of which small quantities
only are exported. These tariff rates
will be increased for the purpose OF inn
pressing the farmer with the belief that
he is sin it" to share the benefits of the
high tariff. 1t is thought that the duty
on lumber will be wiped out or consid-
erably lowered for the tim Der supply
| in northern states is greatly diminish
| ed and the necessity of foreign sup
ply and especially from Canada is too
| urgent to be ignored. 1t is thought by
some that there will be an attempt
made at the regular session to put a
tariff revision bill through. Certain
leaders would like to do this, for in the
first place they would prefer to avoid
| the calling of an extra session to which
the Republican party is committed.
They would avoid, if possible, spend
| ing time in Washington after the fourth
of March. 1t is also realized that the
sooner the manufacturing, mining and
commercial interests of the country are
apprized of tariff changes and the soon
er they settle down to business, the
sooner the country will return to a
healthy business basis.
President Roosevelt, who has 80 long
occupied the forefront of the stage, is
for the moment and perhaps will be
for long time, eclipsed by the presi-
dent-elect, and it is just probable that
he enjoys the eclipsed if it may be SO
called, for surely he has brought it on
himself in his own approved way.
Those who have talked to him recent
ly relative to the New York Senator
ship are impressed that he would like
very much to see the present Secretary
of State succeed Senator Platt and it is
rumored that the president himself
hopes to succeed Senator Depew in a
year or two after his hunting holiday
in Africa and his editorial experiment
on The Outlook Magazine are end
ed. Secretary Root would be able to
uphold the prestige of New York and
would do much to redeem it~frOm its
present low level on the senate floor.
Mr.. Root is silent on the subject but
there has been extensive use of his
name recently in connection with the
New York senatorship. 1t is said that
president-elect Taft very much desired
to have Secretary Root remain as the
premier of the new cabinet. He could
no doubt be appointed to the Chief
Justiceship of the United States SUI
preme Court if Justice Fuller should
retire within the next four years. There
are, however, a number of New York
candidates for Senator Platt's place,
among them Ex-Governor Frank S.
Black and Timothy Woodruff.
There has been revival of talk about
President Roosevelt's succeeding to the
presidency of Harvard University, but
it is not believed that SO restless and
strenuous parsonage as the President
could be held down to the properties
and traditions of his very respectable
Alma Mater. 1t is said that Mr.. RoOse-
welt would certainly find the gown and
hat of the University president a Mes
sus shirt. He would far rather take
off his coat and work in his shirt
sleeves than to don the university uni
form.