The National tribune., 1908-11-19
TARIFF REVISION.
MIR. Taft for an Honest Revision Pleas
for a Scientific Revision Speaker
CannOn's Reelection.

A weeks progress of the tariff revi-
sion hearings has encouraged all sorts
of Washington talk as to whether Pres
| ident Taft is going to run Congress or
whether Congress is going to run Pres
ident Taft. AS matters are now shap-
| ing, the extra session of Congress in
the Spring promises to indicate speedily
| whether business" influences are to
prevail with the new Administration at
the expense of every other considcra-
| ton.
II is altogether too early to conclude
that the stand-patters in Congress are
determined to frame a new tariff bill
which will afford small relief to the
masses. An opinion to that effect has
been growing because of the attitude
of numerous Republicans of the Ways
and Means Committee and because of
the requests which numerous manufac-
turcrs have been making either that
present rates be not disturbed or be
increased. Chairman Payne and Rep
rescntativc DalZell, especially the lat
ter, seem to be dominating the hear
ings. Their questions to witnesses in
dicate the expected friendliness toward
protected interests.
Then, the discussion about getting
scientific revision" has become very
popular with the ardent stand-patters.
This has spread alarm among revision
lists, lest under such a high-sounding
term as scientific revision few
schedules should be lowered-enough
to bolster up an argument on the hust-
ings-that the duties on steel and q
few other very highly protected arti-
cles should be reduced only as much as
could be done without affecting the in
dustries at all, but that duties in the
majority of cases should be increased
and on the whole the big corporations
be greatly benefited The idea of such
revision is already sufficiently preva-
lent to assure quite a campaign against
1t by the opposition in Congress.
Taft for Honest Revision.
Stories of such plans are being car
ried to President-elect Taft. Those who
have talked with him say he intends to
stand for an honest revision, and that
he will not brook any juggling of
schedules in an attempt to deceive the
people. If the Ways and Means Com
mittee develops such a program during
| the Winter, he is represented as pre-
pared TO speak right out against 1t in
| his inaugural message. If the stand
pat leaders care to accept the gauge of
| battle, well and good. The new Presi-
dent will be ready to fight out the
question of his own authority right at
| the threshold of his Administration. The
same friends say Mr.. Taft will proceed
| toward the enforcement of ideas for n
thoro revision in a very matter-of-fact
way, explaining his demands in public
| utterances, very much as Gov. Hughes
has done in New York State.
| The other side of the tariff story
may be heard before the Ways and
Means hearings progress. Thus far the
beneficiaries of high protection have
| been coming to Washington most nu-
merously, and few witnesses have
| asked for a lowering of present duties.
Unless the lower tariff advocates come
| forward the Republicans of the COM
mittee will surely argue that the sem
timent for revision is so insignificant ii
need not be needed
Some recent exchanges have made il
| pretty clear that Mr.. Taft does not in
tend to interfere in the Republican Or
ganization of the House. He will leave
Speaker Cannon to himself, as far as
the latter's reelection is concerned
from the President-elects State, will
not become candidate. And it is en-
tireiy probable that no one else viii
enter the lists against the veteran Illi-
nOisan. 1t is believed that he has a
large majority of the Republican men,
DerS-elect already as good as pledged
to his reelection. The work of sur
veying the field was begun by him and
his lieutenants right after election, and
has progressed extensively, altho quiet
ly. There has been a general sounding
Of Republican Representatives IN all
sections OF the country, so that the
Speaker is satisfied with his prospects
for another term as presiding officer.
SO well has this canvass turned out
that he and those Immediately inter-
ested in his success have recently been
| turning their attention to building VI
a strong defense against a revision OF
the rules. Whether the new President
will offer aid and comfort to Repub-