Evening star., 1909-04-14
Protection of Home Industries
EmbarrasseS Democrats,
CONFERENCE Is CALLED
How to Reconcile Party Traditions
and Local Interests Is Question,
REVENUE-RAISING
DEVICES
Vested Interests and Capital May
Bear Burden Of Added
Taxes.

A conference to determine who's who.
and why ?'-especially" "Why?'-amon gthe
democrats of the Senate Is in progress
this afternoon, necessitated by the canny
work OF the finance committee in en-
tangling the southern senators with some
acute embarrassments.
Lumber, sugar, rice, lemons, iron ore
and other southern products have been
amply protected in the Senate's bill. The
southerners were pretty well satisfied with
the House rates on lemons. but the Sen
ate committee. in it's generosity, boosted
even that protection. Iron ore comes into
it's own: revenue duty" of course, quite
democratic in principle. and deucedly
profitable in practice.
All Of which means that the southern
senators are facing a hard proposition.
Their constituents. who have money in
vested in industries producing the prod
ucts which q republican majority has pro-
tected. are not so enamored of democratic
| theories. spun In plantation fireside rev.
cries and evolved from ancient tones.
They clamor for practical legislation.
1t Is a condition. not a theory, the south
ern industries are facing.
Consistency in Question.
II the southern senators accept the pro-
lection offered on their particular prod
ucts. the question of consistency as to
their attitude on other protective features
Of the bill comes up to bother them at
once. If they stick to theory, they face
an angry constituency with arrays of
facts and figures.
The democrats are talking 1t over in
conference this afternoon. A verbatim
report Of that conference would be about
a Interesting reading current
events could well furnish.
1t may be that the conference will turn
out q plan for harmonious team work
among the democrats in handling the en-
tire bill. But that is rather a violent sup
position.
Preliminary discussions among demo-
Gratis in the Senate warrant suspicion
that among them there is likely to be
great Independence Of action. It has been
persiStently reported for several days that
North Carolina, Virginia South Carolina.
Florida, Alabama and even Arkansas are
showing a disposition to support protec-
tf0n on this or that schedule OF the bill.
Georgfa's attitude is subject OF spec
ulation Some reports have 1t that the
two Georgia senators will not follow an
Identical course with respect to the bill.
One is said to be for protection on ,lum-
ber for instance, and the other against 1t.
But the Georgia senators will speak for
themselves in due time.
Revenue Question May Help Them.
The question Of adequate revenue to be
raised by the bill Is expected to prove
loophole Of escape from some embarrass-
ments disturbing the southerners A little
protection now and then is good for the
best OF men. the democratic platform
claims, said protection being solely for
revenue purposes, let it be understood.
WE'LL there is no doubt that as the tarin
bill now stands this revenue proposition
must be taken into careful account.
Can it be. some senators are asking;
this doubt as to the revenue-raising ca
pacity Of the bill to come up for effect?
Perish the thought that Mr.. Aldrich In
tends to pass bill through the Senate
which fails In the first essential OF tar
In bill to raise revenue.
Every one knows that at the proper
time Mr.. Aldrich will flush his PROPOSE
ton to foster the revenus. And 1t will be
adequate. 1t is prophesied.
be inadvisable, 1t Is limited. to let the
Senate ponder the revenue question. 1t
might prove food for thought for demo-
cratic senators especially.
Devices for Raising Revenue.
A food Of propositions for raising reve.
nue. is expected In the early days OF the
consideration Of the bill. The two main
favorites will be plans to saddle vested
interests and capital and liquor and beer
with additional taxation.
A tax on dividends will be proposed and
vigorously advocated. Stamp taxes will
be suggested. That good old standby. in
come tax. will be trotted out for trial
heat, at any rate. Increased tax on fed
eral liquor licenses Is a popular plea.
Sugar has been a fruitful source Of
revenue taxation in former years and
may be tackled again. with the resultant
breakfast table. The fruit canning season
will be coming on about that time and
| a loud wall would come from the house.
wives. Many of the wiseacres think. how
ever that there is something brewing in
the sugar schedule nevertheless.
Senator Aldrich has not yet prepared a
statement as to the revenue producing
capacity Of the bill reported by the finance
committee. 1t was said today that 1t Is
doubtful II he will be able to make more
than general statement upon that ques-
| tion when the bill Is taken up
There is q possibility that consideration
OF the bill may not be undertaken to-
| morrow. but postponed until Monday. This
the democratic conference in session this
afternoon, as It Is reported that some
democrats are not ready to go on with
the bill this week.
May Take Trouble to Tafe.
There are rumblings Of discomfort from
| republicans OF the middle west, who ad-
vocate revision downward. The closer
they look into the tariff bill in its pres
ent form the louder are their murmur-
ings.
Study of the provisions OF the various
schedules discloses the wonderful like
ness Of the bill in many essential fea-
lures to the existing tariff law. against
which the tariff revision sentiment is di-
| rected.
Some western republicans at the Capitol
| today predicted that President Taft will
| be called upon to take hand in the
making OF the bill in its final form 1t
is said that these republicans are getting
ready to take their grievances to the
White House. following the course which
was found 50 successful in the last ad-
ministration.
Commercial Advantages Illusory.
| MADRID, April 1.-THE newspapers of
Madrid express little regret at the ex-
piration three days ago Of article four Of
| the treaty Of Paris. which gave Spain
equal commercial privileges with the
4 \ Cko<~ fv he Y-fo