The Washington times., 1908-12-03

10 Andrew Carnegie sensational NNS-
laration that the protection OF iron ana
steel is no longer needed is aScrlbed
much credit for a remarkable change IN
the revision situation.
Many of the revision advocates al
ready confidently believe the battle is
won They do not expect revolution, OF
want it; but they do believ> more
strongly every day that substantial re-
duction OF important schedules viii be
secured. Three things have happened
which are regarded as responsible.
I. President-eiect Taft's vigorous dec
Iaration for genuine revision. his mani
festation Of willingness 20 night Speaker
Cannon If necessary. and his intimation
that he would veto A taTih bill which
did not satisfy him.
>, Mr. Carnegie's pronouncement about
the tariff on steel
3. The sudden development of a great
volume Of public opinion in support o.
mr.. Tafrs position.
Mr.. taft has permitted II 20 be known
that he will not further oppose Speaker
Caunon's reelection. This viii be wide
.ly accounted a defeat for Mr. Taft: but
In truth IL means that a compromise has
been reached by which the President
elect gains a great deal.
Veto Gets Result.
II was not the opposition TO Cannon,
So much as the threat of yetOing a
bogus tariff bill, that brought its re-
suits. The Cannon organization could
in al probability have reelected the
Speaker against any opposition. II
could just as probably have followed
that victory by passing a tariff bin 10
suit itself. But what was the use when
passage of such a measure would have
brought down a veto, over which the
measure could not possibly have been
passed? It suddenly was seen that in
the end the President would hold the
last trump card. That he should be
willing 10 play II. was a great surprise
ana a sad shock to the standpatte-s.
But when they We're assured that ne
meant to do just that, they were ready
for terms. and the compromise is the
result
tt is no secret that the big interests
which were expected TO take a great.
active interest in maintaining present
schedules. have disappointed the high
tariff faction or Ways and Means
Make Sorry Showing.
The iron and steel people. instead Of
rushing into the breach and proving
that they must retain their Chinese
wall else they be ruined, have made
rather a sorry showing. The United
States Steel Corporation seems TO have
left all the effort 20 the Independents,
while Mr. Carnegie has knocked vigor-
ously against the modest efforts OF the
little fellows.
There have been a good many de-
mands for retention Of present sched-
ules, or even for advances; but these
have not come from great, powerful,
weighty interests save in a &C mpara-
lively small number OF instances. Con-
sequentIy the announced purpose OF the
committee TO give free ironi steel, lum-
Der. hides shoes. and coal.
It is explained that free iron and steel
means pig iron and steel biuets. Il
doesn't mean free steel Eaiis, for In
stance: but it does logically involve a
great reduction IA the tariff on rails
and other steel products.
Tariff making is a sort Of architectural
construction; one part supports an
other. and in turn depends on another.
The duty on hides makes necessary the
duty on leather. and that makes neces-
ssTy q duty on shoes and other leather
Dr. ducts. The manufacturers in many
cases have said, Give Us free raw ma
teri8ls, and we viii be able 20 give up
the protection on our products"
One Affects Other.
So il C. mo- about thHt IL the West
is willing to allow hides 10 be free, the
New England shoe interests, and the