The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-03-14
ABOUT THE TARIFF.

SSSSs 80. 1890
The discussion provoked by the an
lAouncement that Taft has no intention
of opposing Cannon as yet, on the
ground that to do SO would endanger
tariff revision so much desired by the
citizens OF this republic Is matter to
be left entirely to the future to work
out No one can ever be sure OF what
will or will not happen. 1t is undoubt.
Aedly true that the fight against Speak
YER Cannon would have entirely mud
Nled the situation in Washington SO
that nothing would have been done
But now that Cannon has a cinch on
the job and the rules are to. be as
they have been ever since the days OF
Tom Reed, the thing we have to
worry about is whether we are to
have the real thing in tariff revision
or whether we are to have a little
symposium on the matter and then
adjourn with the congressional trav-
cling expenses paid to and from the
city Of Washington by people prodi-
gal and gra rious and careless to a
last degree.
It would seem probable that real
tariff revision will not go through
withott fight. Nothing has ever
gone through congress these latter
years without fight, which is worthy
OF consideration.
Just now there is some discussion
as to whether in the event of Taft
being brought face to face with the
question he would or would not sign
a tariff bill which did not meet with
his approval or would he let 1t go
without a signature as did Cleveland
denouncing it as "perfidy."
What Taft will or will not do, is a
matter purely of speculation and
opinion. 1t is our opinion. that Taft
is an entirely honest man and will
act as he has in all other matters of
any Importance which have come up.
Past experience would lead one to be-
lieve that when the time comes there
he will stand firm and will not let
the people be swindled on the matter
of tariff revision.
1t Is said that if he vetoes the bill
he will also break up the republican
party. 1t it not also true that if the
people are not satisfied in the matter
OF tariff revision that they will lose
faith In the party too? In such con-
tingency Taft can rely on the whole
people as Roosevelt always did. Taft
perhaps has not the facility in gain
ing the backing OF the people-but of
this It is not only too soon to tell.
Entirely opposed is a theory that
seems plausible that whatever may
be the clamor Taft will do as he
thinks is best for the people and al
low the question to straighten itself
out afterward.
This in turn brings US to another
contingency. The tariff in all prob
ability cannot satisfy any one class
of people. There will as we have
said before be a howl of protest all
over the country which will come
from many sources. This will be be-
cause the tariff Is question which
cannot actually satisfy anyone. Eth
er the producers or the consumers
will find some fault and there you
are.
1t is not altogether fair to jump on
even the Ways and Means committee
because Of their stand on any of the
hundreds OF schedules. And this for
one important reason. There are
hundreds Of schedules. Moreover the
price OF various commodities at home
and abroad has to be considered on
these same hundreds and hundreds of
schedules-and there is no data which
Is really available on all this. On
the question OF wood pulp alone al
though evidence was entirely INSULT
cient to fix even an approximately
correct schedule the evidence was so
great that II took the committee
months to hook It over. II this is the
ease On one schedule what will 1t be
o. ~ hundreds md hundreds Of
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