Albuquerque morning journal., 1910-12-27
TARIFF REVISION
HAS GLOOMY
PROSPECTS
Looks as if President viii Need
Another Term if He Does Any
Tinkering With Payne-AI-
drich Law.
613 Munsey Bidding.
Morning Journal Bureau,

Washington. d. c., Dec. 20.
Developments Of .he first two weeks
of congress have made it clear that
the prospects of any revision of the
tariff at this session or the next are
not at all bright. The situation IN
congress now points to the fact fhas
If President Taft secures any revision
Of the Payne Aldrich law he wll
have 10 serve another term as pres-
dent to get it.
What is happening now in the sem
ate with respect to revision. schedule
by schedule. is highly significant of
coming tariff events. It has been dis
closed in the upper house that the m
surgents alone, with perhaps sr AL
number of democrats. are in favor OIL
revision. schedule Dy schedule. A small
number of regulars may be won OVef
to it. But most of the regulars are
against revision, schedule by schedule,
and most of the democrats do not
want to see it.
This means that in the next con-
gress, in all likelihood, If any pop
gum tariff bills come along, that is.
bills revising single schedules, they
will encounter the opposition of the
regulars and of many democrats. Such
bills go to the finance COMMITTEES,
and probably will not emerge from ~
That the Cummns resolutions Tor
changes in the senate rules TO facili-
tate revision, schedule by schedule.
will not be adopted seems assured.
1t viii be as hard to get ipopgun
tariff bills through next congress as
ever
In this solution, the house demo-
Gratis are likely to attempt general re-
vision of the tariff. But the obstacle
in the way of any bill for general re-
vision, If it materially lowers duties,
will be numerous. once ii gets into
the senate.
In the first place il will have to
run the gauntlet of @ finance commit
tee controlled by high tariff republl-
cans. 1t will emerge to the senate
floor as high tariff bill. 1t can be
amended so as to provide for reduc-
tiOns in duties only by the combined
strength of democrats and insurgents,
ana these two elements are not show
ing much disposition just at present
to work in harness. A good many
Indications are given that the strong
er the democrats are the less they viii
be inclined to foster the insurgent
republicans. While just now there is
some signs that enough regular re-
publicans will support tariff COM
mission measure to make it possible
to pass such a measure, this does not
point TO any increasing friendliness
of the high tariff element in congress
for downward revision.
Indeed, it is suggested in some
quarters that If new tariff commits
sion should be provided for, the ef-
feet Of it might be to delay revision,
.nasmuch as q new commission would
perhaps want to make its own investi-
cation Of the cost of production OF
different schedules
In connection with tariff commits
sion legislation, 1t is possible the sem
ate democrats viii make it impossi-
BILE to get any bill passed this session,
should the finance committee bring
one out. They could do this by fill
buster. Senator Aldrich and the fl
nance committee leaders are suspect
ed in some quarters Of being bent on
making a political play by reporting
out a bill for a commission, and let
ting the democratic leaders take on
( themselves the burden of beating Ia
This would provide the republicans
with some ammunition for the nexi
campaign, and this without having a
permanent tariff commission, which
the high tariff leaders so heartily dis
| like.