Evening star., 1909-05-14
LOSING FIGHT IN SENATE
Vote on Iron Ore Dispiriting to
Lower Tariff Advocates.
WHAT WILL PRESIDENT DO?
Believed by Some Senators He Will
Interfere When the Bill Goes
to Conference.

The repeated victories of the high-tariff
men in the Senate on specific schedules
as they como UP for q vote are causing
grave concern to the friends Of revision
downward and fostering the conviction
that the genuine revisionists are being
whipsawed through community of in
terest' combination that Is likely to be
very hard to break.
AS the cards fall now the winning hand
appears to be with the high-tarin men.
Every accession to the strength Of the
revisionists from their own party is i'm
mediately counteracted by detection on
the democratic side. The revisionist gain
Of three republicans-Curtis, Borah and
du Pont-was wiped out yesterday by
democrats voting for protection. The
spectacle Of eighteen democrats voting
for q duty on iron ore-some voting for
the revenue and others openly for the
protection. but the result being protec-
tion just the same-was dispiriting to the
revisionists.
It seemed to foreclose any possibility
Of a combination between democrats and
revisionistA
The revisionists are asking the ques-
tion how long this situation is to be al
lowed to go unchecked. They are pinning
their faith 10 President Taft as the leader
OF the party In his announcement and re-
iteration that the people of the country
believed that the republican party was
honestly going to lower the tariff. No
matter that 1t was not 80 stipulated in
the bond. as Senator Lodge defiantly
pointed out the other day when referring
to the republican platform. the fact re-
mains that the people at large believed
that revision meant revision downward.
Views Generally Shared
Outside Of Senators Aldrich. Hale and
Lodge It Is probable that the rank and
file Of republican senators take the same
view. That is to say, they yield ac-
quiescence to the general proposition
broadly stated that there should be some
modification OF the rates. It is the appli-
cation OF the proposition to specific cases
that stumps them, and the revisionists
realize the difficulties Of that situation
themselves.
Where L. the cutting Of rates to begin?
They started off with lead. Immediately
the lead interests appealed to the prin-
ciple Of protection and submitted their
brief claiming that reduction violated the
high protectionists in the Senate was re-
inforced by the senators from the states
where the industry fiourishes and reduc-
ton was denied.
mitted by every republican except Sena
tor La Toilette that the pottery industry
Of the United States is not over protected
Indeed, Mr.. Taft in his campaign told
the people of East Liverpool, in his state.
as much. Pottery could not be touched
Wi a
edly revision downward must not begin
there.
Glassware was next. There was a
mountain of evidence from the glass man
ufacturers of the country. claiming that
their industry is not monopoly in the
hands of trust and that 1t Is not pro-
tected too highly. In response to urgent
appeals. the finance committee agreed to
revise the schedule-that Is. readjust
the rates to make them lower on some
no concession to a demand for general
downward revision.
The Real Contest.
Iron ore was the next subject of pro-
posed reduction, which was defeated over
whelmingly, with the aid of democratic
votes, as stated. This contest is. when
finally analyzed, a squabble between the
steel trust and the Independent manufac-
turers of steel. to both of which iron ore
is basic property.
The steel trust has leased enormous
beds of ore in the northwest and in
Canada, upon which it pays heavy
royalty, increasing yearly. The fnde-
pendents. or one important branch of
them, own great ore beds in Cuba, the
product of which, when free OF duty.
could be brought to the Atlantic sea-
board, it is claimed. 80 cents ton cheap
er than the northern ores can be furnish
ed the trusts mills.
With this proposed advantage of cheap
ore the independents could have slight
start over their great competitor In the
steel making business But there are the
ore beds of the southern Appalachian
region, demanding protection against the
Cuban ore, and swinging into line such
democrats as the senators from Virginia,
Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Ala
bama, they were supplemented by other
democrats who want the revenue derived
from the duty.
The duty fixed is ID cents ton be-
low the existing law. and that may be
claimed as revision downward.
Other schedules in the bill will meet
similar difficulties. The hosiery makers
of the country are aroused. the silk men,
the cotton manufacturers, the coal pro-
ducers and scores of industries will make
demand for special exemption from the
revision downward movement, all based
y
In their particular item.
Community of interests
When those claims are supported by
combinations of senators. even of oppo-
site parties. acting in the interest of the
particular industry. it is readily seen how
difficult it is for the genuine revisionists
to make headway, or even to make an
opening breach in the solid wall Of com
munity interest,"
And that consideration brings them
back to thoughts Of President Taft. What
will he do about it? They say the ques-
ton is rapidly coming 'up to- him. FOR
the present he is represented as being
willing to be silent while the senators
make their bill, resolved, 1t is reported
by senators who talk with him. to put
the screws on when the bill gets into con-
ference and insist upon showing OF
honest downward revision.
Fugitive Threatened With Lynching
IA Dot