The Washington times., 1908-09-26
Revision and Revolution.

The country is firmly in favor Of
tariff revision. Both the great parties
are pledged to it, None is pledged TO
tariff revolution. But the country un-
derstands that in case of Democratic
victory the revision which would follow
would be either an illogical patchwork
OF else a revolution.
If Mr.. Bryan should be strong enough
in influence with his party and with the
Republican Senate, it would be a revo-
luton. Mr.. Bryan would reform the
tariff by avulsion. No slow and care
fully considered methods for him. Mr..
Bryan is free trader He doesn't
believe in protection at all, and to the
extent that he could dominate consid-
Grafton of the subject be would direct
the revision toward that ideal.
In the event that Mr.. Bryan should
not be able to control his Democratic
following and the Republican Senate,
then there would be revision which
would recall the "perfdy and dishono-"
Wilson bill. There would be q scramble
by multiplied interests for everything
which could be saved, and the measure
which would come forth from the ira
vail would be unscientifc, unsound, full
OF the evidence of its troubled origin.
More likely still, no bill whatever would
pass.
In truth, the country ought to make
the tariff a paramount issue; and in
doing so it ought to consider from
which party it he's most to gain. Tariff
revision is necessary. It ought to be
accomplished through the Offices of a
permanent commission, and to be a
scheme Of progressive adjustment, al
ways keeping pace with the conditions
and necessities of the producer, the
consumer, and the Governments Treas
Ury. We have not yet come to the
place where this is possible. Therefore
the next best thing should be done.
That next best thing is a revision with
the least possible measure of politics
and the greatest possible measure of
business management about it.
This is only to be secured through
the Republican party. 1t could not
be had through the Democrats, who
are hostile to the whole theory of the
protective tariff 1t could not be
secured from a divided government
It would be more dangerous to trust
revision to a Congress half DemOcatic
and half Republican, than to turn 1t
over to either party. With bi-Parti-
san Congress there would be no re-
sponsibility. The special favor surreP-
titiousIy granted 10 an interest-like
the present countervailing duties on
petroleum-would be worked in so de-
viously that each side would blame the
other and the country would never
know which was guilty.
Revision should be secured just as
quickly as possible, when the policy Of
revision is ~nnce adopted. But quick
action would Nbe impossible in BIZ
party legislature. The~tariff must not
be made a football of politics.; yet it
would be exactly that if a Democratic
House and a Republican Senate GOV
mixed up in the business of revision.
The country is in no condition to
stand the turmoil and menace involved
in dragging the tariff schedules about
the legislative forum, declaimnig over
them a lot Of befuddling demagoguery.
That is what an attempt at revision by
a two-Party Congress means. The one
safe court, to get revision-sure, sensi-
bic, and business hke-is to elect
Republican President and Republican
House.