The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-21
Certain Matters Settled Long
Ago, Is Authoritative
Statement.
MAJORITY WORRIES
OVER THE RESULTS
Democrats Believe Program, If
Adopted, Will Make This Issue
in Next Campaign.
BY ]. C. wELLIVER.

y
There Is interesting coincidence, AT
least. In the fact that simultaneously
with the announcement that Speaker
Cannon's supporters have counted the
votes which assure his reelection
comes. also. the apparently authorita-
tive statement that certain matters re-
lating to the tariff have been settled
for a long time. These are:
Iron and steel schedules are to be cut
considerably; but the cuts are to be 50
adjusted that they will not affect the
industry. 1t will have just as much ef-
fective protection, and be just as Sc
cure against any foreign dumping, as
IL Is now.
Lumber rates are to be changed In
no essential respect without the consent
of the lumber interest.
Just because it's good buncombe, some
of the agricultural schedules may be
raised.
The duty on works OF art is to be re-
moved
The duty on hides will cause one OF
the biggest fights OF the whole revision.
Subject to Change.
This program Is. Of course, subject to
change; but il is declared on excellent
authority and belief 10 be the present
program. Mr.. Taft might shake it up
considerably if he should get right
busy but, while he has vigorously in
sisted that the rsvisionists must state
their side Of the case, nobody expects
he is going 20 make the tight single
handed and alone. If the revisionists
aren't enough interested TO come
around and be heard,
President Roosevelt might make sOms
trouble. too, but he will not That is
where the revisionists have things IN
their own hand. Mr.. Roosevelt doesn't
consider that tariff revision is HIS Job
Every man must skin his own skunks"
Is the observation attributed to the
President when asked about tariff. 'and
the tariff is Tafts skunk" The trddble
is that the tariT bin and all the tariff
dickers will be made in the next three
months; Roosevelt refuses 10 mix with
it, and Taft can't because he isn't yet
President, The Ways and Means com
mittee has a fine chance to do just as
it pleasesi and that's just what it's do
ing.
Increases Demanded.
The extremes demanded by some rep
Tesentatives or industries have given
shock even 10 the devoted gentlemen
who, sitting around the upper end OF
the committee table. have long been re-
garded as the very high priests OF pro-
lection. There has been repeated de-
mand for increase Of duties. Nobody
seems willing to admit that his particu-
lar industry could submit to any re-
duction. The taFin is. indeed. a local
issue; everybody wants to revise on the
other fellow, the other section Of coun-
try. the other industry.
The political effects Of the revision
are causing real Worry to Republicans.
Here is the political situation as one OF
the Democratic House leaders recently
stated It:
Political Outlook.
The Ways and Means Committee will
make a bill that will revise a lot OF
schedules. but AFFECT nobody. It will be
the present law in all essentials and in
effect on the industries. and the con-
sumner and the IabOrer. That will pass
the House easily enough. but when IL
goes to the Senate there viii be a fine
fight, and under the Senate rules there
will be a determined flibuster. That
seems already as certain as anything
OF the future ever is. With all the
Democrats doing 1t for political reasons,
and big minority Of Republican Of
the new independent school working
with the Democrats, there is no telling
whether the Senate can pass the meas
ure at all. These men might talk il 10
death, or force closure.
But II Will pass; there Will be COM
promises and concessions, and the in
dependents VIII get some things Massa-
chuEetts will be conceded something in
the hide duties. and the mid W esterners
VIII set some sODs IN the lumber and
steel duties.
The Outcome.
Thea what? Bill goes to conference: !
all the conferees are thorough going
protectionists, Payne heading one dele
CATION and Aldrich the other. They'll
make the bill in conference, as they
usually do tariff bills, The point is that
in conference the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. |
viii have everything their own way.
There IS Just the possibility of a con-
ference report being rejected and the |
legislation failing. But il isn't serious
The Democrats calculate that the con
ference committees bill will pass, and
that II viii place in our hands the
nnest political issue We have had in an /
the years since 1892, when we carried 4
The country on that issue. Remember |
lAS9F democrats SWebt the Housa nv /
ninety majority Immediately after the /
passage OF the Mckinley bill Well. |
wen sweep II In 1910. on the heels of /
the Payne bllIS passage. The country
LnoughL u was going 10 have real re- /