The Washington times., 1911-04-20
THE HUMORS or THE Reel
PROCITY DISCUSSION.

mentary situation that confronts the
House of Representatives on the eve
OF a vote on the Canadian reciprocity
measure Things are at topsy turvy,
and no mans party or factional affilia
tons are to be accepted as even sugges-
tive of his position on the cardinal
Administration measure of the session.
President Taft called the extra ses-
sion for the purpose of getting action
on reciprocity. He demanded nothing
more, though he had no power to limit
activities to the particular measure
about which he is concerned.
Today the House is discussing the
Presidents measure. He is supported
with enthusiasm by an almost solid
Democratic majority; a majority that
daily and hourly expresses confidence
that it will accomplish his defeat in
the election next year. On the other
hand, the Presidents measure is being
bitterly opposed by most of the leaders
of his own party. Former Speaker
Cannon in his assaults on reciprocity
was cheered TO the echo, by regular
Republicans and insurgents alike. The
enmity between the Republican fac
tions has been buried under a common
purpose to fight their Presidents pet
constructive measure. Men who for a
year or two have not exchanged mods
with Cannon in passing are now in
constant conference with him and his
lieutenants. in connection with the con-
duct of this fight against the President.
The situation in the Senate is hardly
less anomalous. Most of the Repub-
licans there will oppose reciprocity.
majority of Democrats will favor it. 1t
will pass the House by no very large
majority: its fate in the Senate will
depend largely on the parliamentary
tactics which the Finance Committee
may adopt. If reciprocity, farmers
free list, and a few revision schedules
are massed into an omnibus bill that
bill may fail of passage.
The truism that the tariff is largely
a local issue was never better illus
trated than by this situation. 1t
seems that the people of the United
States want downward revision; but
they do not want it enough to require
Congress to enact the give e-and take
program that alone can subordinate
local and special interests to general
and national ones, and. bring out
truly national policy
The tariff question has got to be
viewed nationally, not in detail. The
statesman who votes on a whole tariff
program with reference to the effect
that a new sugar schedule will have
on a beet factory at Garden City; the
man who views the tariff with refer
ence to the future of a pearl button
mill in his district; the publicist whose
view of so huge a problem is bounded
by the thought that there are saw
mills in his district and that the saw
mill men are opposed to changing the
lumber sehedule-statesmen of that
kind are not the sort of public servants
needed in this crisis.
If the country does not get some
of tariff, predicated on
a bigger and more statesmanly view
than this, it is going to keep on strug-
Cling; it will keep the issue alive; it
will insist on being disagreeable
whenever it sees head to hit on elec-
tion day. 1t will keep business in the
and insecurity which are
when the tariff is in |
process of agitation.
The real interests Of the country
absolutely demand that something |
worth while, something calculated to
placate the consuming public, be done,
right now; this session. Unless that |
happens, the public will spring some
sorry surprises on politicians of both
parties next year.