New-York tribune., 1911-12-23
TARIFF WILL OCCUPY
ATTENTION OF CONGRESS.
Democrats Seem Determined to
Play Politics and Ignore 1.-THE
Poor Consumer"
REPUBLICANS BEGIN WORK
Will Frame a Wool Bill in Accord
with the Tariff Board S Report,
on Which the Party Will
Appeal TO the Country.
Irrom Tnc TIbune Buroau !


Washington. Dec 22.-That this ses-
sion Of Congress will resolve itself into
tariff session now seems inevitable
greatly as that fact may be regretted.
The President has hopcd-to say that ne
expected it would be putting it too
stroncly-that the Democrats. when he
placed i'm their hands a unanimous re-
port 10y a non-partisan or bipartisan
board on the wool schedule, to he fol
lowed by one OF the cotton schedule ana
probably by even another on an impor-
tsnt schedule. would realize the wisdom
of treating the tariff from a broader
point Of view than pure partisanship and
would join with the Republicans in an
effort TO frame bill in accordance with
the report Of the Tariff Board.
That the tariff can be taken out Of
politics the President does not believe.
He appreciates that there Will long-per-
haps always--be a fundamental differ
ence between those who believe in
tariff for revenue only and those who
espouse the protective theory. on the
other hand. he is persuaded that it would
he the essence Of craftsmanship for the
Democrats to pass a wool BILL for in
stance in accord with the views Of the
other two branches of the legislative de-
Iartment Of The government-that is, of
the Senate and of himself. In this way
the consumers would obtain prompt re-
lief from excessive duties. while II would
be easier for the voters at the coming
election TO decide whether they favored
q tariff policy which embodied so much
Of protection as he and the Republican
party advocate or whether they pre-
ferrcd purely revenue tariff.
Democrats Prefer Old Methods.
All the indications point, however TO
determined effort on the part of the
Democrats to play politics with the tar
in. Many Of the House leaders declare
that they prefer The obsolete methods OF
imposing tariff which they have en-
yloyed in the past 10 the more accurate
methods which the report Of the Tariff
Board proves 10 10 'lGnitcly more sci
cutiGc and equitable. The course Of the
Democrats makes it clear that their So
licitude for the poor consumer is mere
pretcnce. and that for momentary polit-
teal advantage they are quite willing 10
sacrifice the consumer for whom they
have shed SO many crocodile tears.
There are a few of the House leaders
who would pu. aside the report on the
wool industry for the present and pass
bill revising the steel schedule, know
INK fun well. of course that the Presi
dent would veto such a measure if il
came 10 him before he had received a
report from the Tariff Board on that In
dustry The maJo: portion Of the Demo-
Gratis. however. seem TO appreciate that
such A course would he too patiently an
effort to put The President I'm hole"
and thoy arc disposed to proceed TO the
drafting Of q wool bill but one which the
President cannot conscientiously ap-
prove.
The Republican Programme.
Convinced Of the determination OF the
Democrats 10 pursue a reactionary
course. the Republican leaders In the
House are going 10 work at once. as was
announced I'm The Tribune this morning
10 draft a bill which will be in accord
with the report of the Tariff Board. They
sre persuaded that by so doing they will
he able 10 show the public precisely what
the Republicans would do 81 they were
in control OF both houses of Congress-
and they are firmly convinced that the
great majority Of the voters will ndorse
the Republican programme in preference
70 the Democratic next November. To
this end. the minority members Of the
Ways and Means Committee met in
formally to-day an1 decided to begin the
actual work OF framing a new Schedule
X just as soon as the report OF the Tariff
Board returns from the public printer
representative Underwood who has
already announced that when it comes
10 framing tariff bill "the Democrats
viii make their own" will ask for guild
ance from no one. said to-day that it
would be several weeks before the Dem
ocratic members Of the WAYS and Means
Committee could decide on "A definite
programme. Mr. Underwood declared.
however, that it was the intention Of the
Ways and Means Committee to employ
experts OF fits own TO make an invcstiCa-
lion Of the wool industry. thus throw
inE into tho discard tho long and pains
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