The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-02
TARIFF REVISION
IS FAR IN FUTURE
| n s u rg ents See No
Chanceof Tin Next
Congress.
RELY ON DISCORD
OF DEMOCRATS
Believe That They Cannot Agree
Upon ANY Program, While
Progressive Republicans Will
Demand Scientific Slash
ing or None at

Washington, d. c., December mo
general or even extensive revision of
the tariff will be made by the next Con-
gress, despite the fact that the Demo-
Gratis will be in absolute control of
the House and majority of the Senate
VIII be Republican Insurgents or Dem
ocrats. In the view of the Senate In
sursents now IN the city.
Several of the Republican Insurgent
Senator'S think the proposals and talk
of coalition between them and the
Democrats to put through revision
of the Payne-Aldrich law is all tommy
rot. and chiefly for the very simple rea-
son that they don't believe the Demo-
Gratis themselves can get together upon
tariff bill providing for an extensive
downward revision.
While the Democrats. elected on
promises of tariff revision, will control
the House. they will need the help OF
the Insurgent Republicans to rule in
the Senate. In the last analysis the
hope of tariff revision in the next Com
sress rests in the Republican 1nsur-
gents, who hold the balance of power
in the Senate.
Doubt Unity OF Democrats.
Several of them are certain that the
Democrats cannot get together upon
any Sill which would be acceptable to
Insurgents. who contend for scien-
iiAc revision. Therefore they can't
SEQ chance for any revision of the
tariff by the Dcmocratic-Insurgen
Congress that comes into office March
4 next.
."rhe Insurgents want tariff based
on scientific principles, on the differ
ence between the cost of production at
home and abroad. The Democrats
don't want a revision on scientific
lines any more than they did when
they revised the tariff before. Thus
an Insurgent Senator summarized the
chances FOR tariff revision in the next
Congress,
The Insurgents. however, concedc
the possibility that the Democrats may
report bill proposing to revise some
schedules. That would enable them, II
is suggested, TO say TO the country that
they are thus showing their sincerity
as to tariff revision and that they arc
JUSTIFIED In asking that the Senate ana
the White House. in addition to the
House. be turned over to them for a
general tariff revision.
Suppose the Democrats should pro.
pose bill revising the very schedules
OF the Payne-Aldrich law regarded by
the Insurgents as especially obnoxious
such as the wool and Iron schedules
would the Democrats get the support
Of the Senate Insurgents to pass such
measure?" an Insurgent Senator was
asked to-day.
THE Insurgents, I think, would tel
the Democrats to present their bill.
he explained. and would promise tc
support 1t II the Democrats showed thai
I 1t revised the schedules along scien-
tifc lines or that they proposed sched-
ules based on the difference in the cos,
OF production abroad and at home.
Swift Kick for Democrats.
"Would such a promise give the Dem
ocrats any satisfaction was asked.
"I think, practically, 1t would be Civ.
ing the Democrats a swift kick" re-
marked the Insurgent Some of the
Democrats want tariff for revenue only
others want free trade to the maxi
mum. Some want raw materials ad
mitted to the country free; others wan'
raw materials to be treated the same
as manufactured articles. And the,
are wide apart as to how much dut,
should be imposed in each case. Tht
local issues are a source Of division.
"In general, they don't want a sci
cntifically arranged tariff, because they
may be opposed In specific cases t.
local interests OF W soiiie iot4let N4en
they hold, Even If they could get to-
gether on some kind of a bill it woult
not be based on the scientific principle
the Insurgents want to see embodied
on the tariff-the difference In the cos
of production. That's why such {
promise of support as the Insurgent.
would give would be worthless to thu
Democrats"
Counting on Discord.
1t is suggested to the Insurgent!
that such an attitude would give thu
Democrats an opportunity to point t.
the Republican Senate as the stumo
ling block for relief from the Payne
Aldrich tariff law and would give then
strong appeal to the voters In thu
presidential race In 1912.
1t is the hope of the Insurgents, how.
ever, that the impossibility Of the Dem
ocrats getting together on genera