The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-12-08
CLAM0R FOR
TARIFF REVISION
mail Special to the Adveraiser.)
BY Ernest a, Walker.

WASHINGTON, d. c., November %.
Perhaps the talk and the demon
STATIONS against "Uncle Joe'' may
serve purpose in persuading the lead
ers of Senate and House to slip
through reform bill or two that the
President desires before he retires to
private life in March. He is a very
adroit politician. Some have suggest
ed that he was participating in the
building Of fires in the rear of the
leaders of Congress in the hope that
they would be scared into spirit of
compromise.
1t is thought here that much of Mr..
Taft's conversation about the affairs
of the House Of Representatives has
been more about the prospects Of tar
iff revision than about reorganiza-
ton of the House, with some other
Republican as Speaker. He and Mr..
Cannon" have cooperated much at re-
cent sessions toward securing legisla-
ton, especially legislation that Mr..
Taft, as Secretary of War, wanted for
the Philippines and the Filipinos Mn
Taft was always in the habit of going
directly to the Speaker when ne want
ed anything. 1t was thus when he,
wanted the establishment of an agri-
cultural bank in the Philippines, and
again when he wanted an appropria-
tion to compensate the Catholic Church
for the occupation of its property by
the United States soldiers. Mr.. Can
non did his utmost to cooperate with
the Secretary of War in such legisla-
tive matters, and at times even sum-
moned his leaders to help get through
the legislation in which Mr.. Taft was
interested.
The more careful observers believe
that Mr.. Taft will follow the same
line of policy when he gets ready to
press for a thorough revision of the
tariff schedules. In all probability Mr..
Cannon will be found cooperating fully
with the new President. Perhaps Mr..
Cannon will stand for a more conser-
vative revision and for a more con-
sentative Interpretation of the Chicago
platform than Mr.. Taft may stand for.
But even that is not at all certain yet.
Politics in the Agitation.
Back of it all there is lot of ma.
tional politics, which the little fellows
On both sides are emphasizing just
now. OF coarse, if the tariff revision
should po Unsatisfactory to the public,
it woum present the possibilities of
lively issue in the congressional cleo
tions of 1910. Democrats would seize
the tariff revision opportunity as
golden one for persuading the country
to elect Democratic House of Rep
resentatives for the last half OF the
President s term.
Opinions differ as TO how great a
reduction of the schedules will be nee
essary to satisfy the public elamor for
revision. Industry is still PROSTATE in
| many parts of the United States. The
cry of business men who come before
the Ways and Means Committee is for
as little disturbance of the present
duties as possible. Naturally, they
want to adjust themselves as easily
and as speedily as they can to the
conditions that will prevail under the
new law. The less revision there is,
the better they will be pleased and
the more eagerly they will set about
starting the wheels and furnaces of
their factories. A large body Of con-
sumers, on the other hand, favor the
lowest duties they can get on many ar
ticles of import, because 1t means low
! or prices and some relief from the
present burdensome cost of living.
Those two divergent opinions com
prise the problem that the President
| and Congress have to solve. If they
strike the right medium between the
two opinions. it ought to be pretty
plain, sahing for the administration
/ The Democrats would be deprived Of
tho only issue that now seems to d.
in sight for them. The Republican,
Would be fairly sure Of success ia thu
congressional elections of 1910, al
though they will have a majority o.
only forty-seven in the next House
which is none too large for comfort
On the CONTRARY, If the revision OF thu
tariff does not satfsfy the country n
. whole. IL win DE a general irritan
, and the Democrats can more easil.
/ embarrass the administration by oppto
sition and criticism. They could bull
up a cause with which to go befor
| the conAtYy. They could stimulate 1ac
tional troubles inside the Repubhca
| ranks sahd thus more readily ophtei
ate their own fractional troubles.
Key to the General Situation.
7 So tariff is rapidly becoming Tn
4 key to the rev political situation. Nd
!. TAFT is quick to see that and IS ma
. urally concerned that the problem sha
l. be met and, If possible, solved SUI
D. cessfully. He has been discussing
e considerably with members of Coz
press who have been stopping on
: Hot Springs in their journeys to an
r from the West. He has been condue
l. ing quite a campaign Of education
10 these talks and nowadays members
'. prominence are eager to know d
], President elects views that they m'
- govern themselves accordingly. Du
le Ave mr. thrf.a VVaa