Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-11-27
MIDDLE West A FACTOR
| Will Be Given Great C0nsidera-
ton in sha' ing New Tar
if Bill
sELF-lnTEREs7 IS SHOWN
sELF-lNTEREsr IS SHOWN
Depends on Whose OK is Gored When
Reductions Are Proposed Taft'n
First Message May Help Clear thu
Revision Atmosphere of Doubt.

Washington, Nov 27-It is believed
IN this city that the tariff bill which
the ways and means committee Will
draft and introduce in the house OF
representatives next spring, and the
bill which the same house finally will
pass, may, and perhaps will, be bills
differing widely in character.
The hearings have now gone along
for two weeks, during which time menl-
bers of the ways and means commit
tee have in larger or smaller way,
thru questions propounded to witness
es, indicated their bias on the general
revision question. 1t is beginning to
be the belief of this city that the bill,
which of course, will be written by the
republican members of the committee,
will provide for rather moderate re-
vision.
1t will keep the principle Of protec-
ton well in the foreground, and where
there are reductions they will not al
ways be as great as certain sections
of the country, more especially the
middle west, are demanding. If this
should prove to be the case, it is pre-
dicted that certain Of the middle west
republican members of the house will
demand greater reductions. and fail
ing in this, may feel called upon to orr
ganizo an insurgent movement The
outcome of such a fight of course, cam
not be foreseen at this distance.
Taft Message Awaited.
1t is in the middle west that re-
vision sentiment is strongest and menu
bers of the fouse from that great sec
ticn are reported already to be making
diligent inquiries for the purpose Of
asoertaining just what it is that their
constituents desire These members are
said to take the position that no mere
pretense at revision will satisfy the
country Such pretense. some OF
them are saying, would be made sim
ply as a cover for standpatism. For
congress to enact a new tariff law
showing no substantial change in the
half dozen or more oppressive sched-
ules of the present law would, ir the
opinion of the middle west congress-
men, who have been heard from, en-
danger republican success in the off
year elections of 1870 and probably
give the house Of representatives at
that time to the democrats. Any
change of politics of this kind would,
/; it is believed, be brought about in
such states as Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Wisconsin, Minnesota, the Dalotas,
Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and perhaps
Michigan, states where it is popularity
supposed the demand is greatest flor
revision.
i 1t is more than likely that the spe-
cial tariff message which Mr.. Taft will
I write as president, shortly after his in
auguration. will help clear the atmos-
phere. 1t is well known that the presi-
dent-el is in favor of genuine revis-
ion and will be satisfied with no other
kind, and that all Of the influence Will
be thrown into the scale in favor
of those who will demand such revis-
ion. At the same time, of course, he
will want revision along protection
lines. Should the ways and means; com
mittee, whose dominating figures are
standpatters, try to force the passage OF
a bill giving only pretense Of revis-
| ion,I will certainly be kicked up IN
| congress such q row as is referred to
above, and in that event it would be
difficult for the new president to keep
out of it. He would be expected to
side with the genuine revisionists.
Question Of interpretation.
Much will be heard in short time
about what is meant by revision along
protection lines" 1t is expected that
the standpatters will have one defin1-
ton and the middle west republicans
another. 1t is at this point that the
great tariff fight is expected to be
made.
Several Of the lumbermen who were
in Washington last week to argue the
lumber schedule before the ways and
means committee, say that the middle
west WILL in a large way; he disposed TO
Judge of the general character of the
bill by what it does to this schedule.
For instance, should the 81 tariff re-
main, the middle west, these lumber
men say, will be inclined to hold that
the bill does not provide for genuine
revision The degree of revision to be
provided for, in other words, viii de-
pend upon the sum by which this 81 is
10 aa,,re,a there is nothing