Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-07-22
THURSDAY EVENING, JULY %. 1909.

TIE change 10 sentiment among the
northern papers and republicans con-
csrning the tariff is we'll shown by the
following from the New York Tribune,
hsretofore considered one of the highest
of the high tariff and protection news
papers of the country;
The response of the country to Presi-
dent TafPs Interpretation OF republican
duty ia inspiring. We have never doubt
cd that the grest mass Of the voters, re.
nnblicsn as we'll ss democratic, would
welcome a change in the methods by
which recent tariffs have been made and
a return 70 first principles in the appll-
cation of the protective policy. The
country has grown weary OF the pro-
oramme followed 10 Congressional Of
allowing sectional and local interests
having the ear of representatives and
senators TO frame log-rOlling measure
nnder whose provisions each paid for
tskidg what 1t could by giving what the
others asked. Unfair and excessive pro-
lection vas bound to result from such
an interchange of courtesies, because
nrotection was often given without justi-
fcaHoD. snd the inflated demands OF the
less deserving claimants determined the
measure OF assistance allotted to all
The true aim Il the protective system
was lost sight of ia scramble Tor the
distribution of favOTs among Interests
convinced that they we're entitled to
such fayors independently of their value
10 working out 3 balanced scheme OF pa
,iopal development. President TAFT,
with ne true instinct Of national leader
snip his ranged himself with the great
mass the people who earnestly supper
he protective theory, but want to see II
nationally applied. The "stsud patters"
&c the House and the Senate know tina
thew cannot make out case sgsinst him
with the voters. They have done Their
hest to obslruct downward revision
To the Senate, especially, the old method
of legislation has been resorted to, ano
INSTEAD of iryiHg to apply the simple
rule laid down in the last republican
national platfo.m-that of allowing
sufficient protection to Offset the differen
,isl in cost of production here and
abroad. with reasonable profit 10 the
domestic producer-ihe finance com
mi,see framed bill which too largely
represents the bargains of various sec
tions and interests with one another
The president stands on higher grOunde
that the legislative leaders who have
been experiencing fsvors In order to
bold 8 majority together. They have
failed to realize that they no longer
have the intelligence and moral infu'
ence of the republican party behind
them. Those forces have broken With
the old order aud are demanding a mod
ernizstion of the schedules and an ad-
iustment of rates to cover diffetentsls
not guessed at, but proved. The strength
of the presidents position Lies
in the fact that it is politically as well
az economically unssssilsble. Behind
him are massed the republican voters
who believe in the new order and a.
whose behest the promise OF revision
was written into the republican national
pla form Of 1908. 1t lie idle to argue
that republican sentiment has not
changed or could be satisfied now With
the sort of revision acceptable twelve
years ago. There may have been some
republicans who regretted last year the
necessity of making a pledge to revise
the tariff. Yet they yielded to the
pressure Of party opinion. No one pro-
tested at the Chicago convention against
the tariff declarstion-a declaration,
which read 10 the light Of the speeches
of the nominee for president, could not
be honestly interpreted otherwise than
as promise of a substantial reduction
of duties in many schedules. The re-
publican party accepted the platform
promise in good faith and is now prsch-
cslly unit ia demanding its fulflment.
Politically, therefore, the "stand-pst'
tiers" 10 Congress are left without coun'
tenance or a following. They have
not been able to see that heretofore.
The popular response to President Taf's
declaration of policy ought to convince
them that they have mislnterpreted the
will and purpose Of the party.
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