The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-07-17
THE REVISED TARIFF.
u Measure ihat VIII Satisfy Neither
Political Party, Nor the Masses Of
The Country.

\ we'll Informed neWspaner syn
dicate correspondent in Washington.
makes the following observations re-
garding the tariff bill now in confer
enCe:
III is not necessary to go to Demo
cratic sources for condemnation of
the tariff bill as passed by the senate.
Ihe explanation of those Republican |
senators who have sought to prevent |
the adoption OF the numerous senate |
Increases, as made on the floor OF the |
senate during the two hours proceed
ing the final vote, contain all the con-
demnation which any Democratic or
ator could desire and they will doubt
less be freely used on the stump in
the next campign. When as staunch
Republican as Senator Beveridge.
OF indiana, whose party loyalty none
can question, deems it necessary to
charge his party with violating it's
sacred pledges to the people. and to
vote against a great party measure
like the tariff bill it affords abundant
evidence TO the average man of the
character of that measure.
Many Republicans. including some
who voted for the tariff bill, hope and
expect that great Improvement will
be worked in the bill in conference.
not as the result of any special dis
pc Csition on the part of the conferees
to revise the tariff downwards but be-
| cause of the avowed intention Of the
president to exert his powerful in
| Huence to secure the acceptance by
the senate of all the house reductions.
and by the house of all the senate re-
ductions. 1t is still too early to war
rant any prediction as to the result Of
the presidents influence but that he
will DO all in his power short of veto
ing the bill to prevent the final en-
actment of the high rates imposed
by the senate is certain.
No sooner had the conferrees been
appointed than tie president request
e0 some Of them to come to the
White House where he expressed to
them his views { S to the necessity of
reNislrg the tarif y, downwaaad. rtvit,t-
cut attempting 70 SO into detail
Judge Taft pointed to the general
condemnation which has been visited
or the senate bill and urged his marty
associates to so modify the bill in
conference as to obviate that criti-
clsm as far as possible. 1t is a not.
able fact however, that under the
rules governing conferrces they ara
authorized first to deal only with
Wose subjects where the two house
differ. and secondly, they are limited
N their action to the extremes o.
such differences. For instance. TAX
the case of print paper. The housc
llXed rate Of Sc ton. The senate
iIXed rate Of 81 a ton. Whatever
may be the judgment of the confer.
rees they cannot increase the dut,
aboVe $4 nor lower it below 50. Tn.
der these circumstances. while there
* considerable room for betterment
no startlingly radical improvement
cam be effected in the tariff bill.
AS If to insure the maintenance oi
the higher rates of duty, Speaker Can
ron added Representative Fordney
probably the stoutest high protection.
Isl in the house. to the list Of con
terrees, although by that addition
the house conferrees exceed those o,
the senate by one. Mr. Fordnev. i,
will be recalled, led the fight in the
house for the highest possible duty
on humber and it is expected that he
viii contest every effort of Chairman
Payne to compel the senate to accent
the lower duties of the house.