The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-07-09
DEMOCRATS EXPECT
TO WIN A VICTORY
Say History Will Repeat It.
self and Elect a Democrat
ic Senate and Also Demo-
cratic President.
BY JONATHAN WINFIELD.


dy clearly drawn. Some new ones may
arise between this time and the date
for framing the platforms of the two
parties, but the one paramount issue,
tariff, reform, is now fixed and the
battle will be fought out on that ques-
ton.
The whole attitude of the Demo-
cratic house has been one of forcing
tariff to the front. The Senate too, that
is, that part of the Senate favorable
to revision of the Payne Aldrich bill,
has joined with the House in calling
the attention of the country to the
necessity of lower tariff duties if the
cost of living is to be lowered.
And SO it happens that the tariff is
to be the one great issue for next
years fight. This has been the one is
sue upon which the democrats were
able to elect president since the civil
war. Cleveland ran both times on a
low tariff platform and twice entered
Are Very Confident.
Democrats are now looking to his
tory to repeat itself. They have a
confident feeling that next year the
country will follow up it's congression-
al vote of last November by electing
Democratic senate and a Democratic
president. If the tariff can be made to
serve their purpose in carrying the
election, they will make the most Of it.
This explains in a measure why the
reciprocity to pass. Reciprocity is tar
iff revision of the most pronounced
type. True it came from a Republican
President, but that makes it all the
more necessary that the Democrats
support it. They could not consistent
ly do otherwise. They have preached
lower tariff duties for years, and if
they were to turn down the only real
opportunity they have since the en-
actment of the Wilson Gormon Law
to vote for lower tariffs, they would
undoubtedly appear to the country as
political hypocrites of the worst type
Therefore they are for reciprocity
They are willing for the President to
have his share of the credit for this
movement, if there is any credit,
knowing all the while that he must
divide that credit with the Democrats
who are to put the measure through,
if it goes through.
h0
in putting out the farmers free list
bill, admitting to this country articles
used by the farmers at a lower rate
than at present, has its political signi-
ficance. This measure is intended to
appeal to the farmer vote. The farmers
have had protection on their products
and want protection still, but they
would like to get the things they have
to buy at just as low cost as possible
That is why the free list measure is
expected to win over a large element
of the farmer vote in the election a
year from next November
To Blame Republicans.
The free list bill may never be en-.
acted into law. and probably will not
at this session with a Republican
president and Republican Senate
standing in it's way, but whether or
not, the Democrats will insist that
they have done their part, and they
will lay the blame for any failure to
enact the bill upon the Republicans
But the Democrats have gone still
f,.r in hn- hrir
up the tariff before the country They
have introduced the wool bill, revising
the duties under Schedule X of the
Payne Law. This is another measure
which the Republicans as whole
have shown no inclination to support
They enacted the Payne law not much
more than eighteen months ago. and
work done then.
This is true in spite of the fact that
President Taft has declared that this
schedule is indefensible. 1t is defended
by Republican members of House and
Senate, and will have to be defended
further. when the Senate attacks be
gin, but the influence of president
Taft may be strong enough to put i,
through the Senate and allow it to
become a law
II this action should be taken, there
is no doubt that the wind will be Ia
ken out of at least one Of the demo
cratic sails 1t is the present antici
patton of the Democrats to hold this
measure up to the country as one OF
the really iniquisous acts of the Re
publican party. If the Republicans
therefore should join with the Demo
Gratis and revise this schedule, there