The Washington times., 1911-12-02
ALL PARTIES WILL
! PLAY POLITICS, SAY
CONGRESS LEADERS
Standpatters Hope for Tariff
Cut-Democrats to Keep
That Issue Alive.
NOTHING WILL
BE ACCOMPLISHED
Insurgents Willing to Make Next
Years Test on Questions
:. Now Existing.
BY JuDsoN c. wELLIyER

'Ht seems to me that some measure of
tariff legislation Is certain to pass the
coming session; bills for revising two,
tnree, or four schedules" said a lecding
standpat Republican. who had an i'm
portant part in making the Payne AID
rich bill what It is.
III seems to me there is practically
no chance Of any tariff legislation what
ever passing at this session. said a
reading progressive Republican, who
was prominent In the fight that made
the Payne-Aldrich measure SO unpopu-
lar.
Between those two views may be read
the verdict Of large majority Of pub
lie men of all parties. There will be no
tarin legislation because 1t will be i'm
pessible unless the Republicans get to-
gether among themselves, or else the
Progressive Republicans will unite with
the Democrats.
Neither of these CONTINGENCIES IL ex-
pected to happen.
! The Democrats want no legislation
unless 1t Is their own. They do not
want to pass anything that Mr.. Taft
by approving, may use as the means
for removing the dissatisfaction caused
by his veto of the tariff legislation of
last session. They want to keep the
tariff issue alive. They want to make
next years campaign on 1t.
Republicans, on the other hand, would
like to, pass enough legislation to get
that Issues edge dulled, and to enable
them to bring the trust question for
ward as the paramount one in 1912.
For Low Tariff.
The Democrats are on principle for
low tariff. That is their advantage in
such tarif-revision era as the
present. On the other hand, they are
on principle a state-rights party; and
the thought Of the times all tends to-
ward the settlement of the trust ques-
ton on the Federal basis.
There are individual Democrats-many
of them-who agree to the federaliza.
ton plan. OF these. Senator Francis q.
Newlands of Nebraska may be set down
as the leader. Between him and the
essential difference 'on this issue. He
has now before the Senate a bill to
No other way to handle the combina-
tions, and at the same time keep with
in the extreme State-rights view, has
ready to accept the Federal-controi
plan; and between these two. positions
they are hopeless in confronting the is
The President, 1t has been announced,
will discuss the question Of combina-
tions and the Sherman act in his first
message to Congress. That, If success
full, would give back seat to the is
sue that Republicans most fear and
Democrats most court-the tariff.
Standpatters Want Cut.
1t is a curious fact that many stand
pat Republicans are hoping that tariff
revision downward legislation will pass
at the coming session. They would not,
in most cases, vote for the very meas
ure that they would wish to see pass;
but they would like to see those meas
ures passed over their heads. as a means
to reducing the acuteness Of the tariff
issue.
On the other hand. the insurgent Re-
publicans realize that SO long as the
Payne-Aldrich measure remains un-
touched, the sentiment in favor of their
wing Of the party Is going to grow in
the territory where that measure has
been most unpopular. They have much
the same reason for wanting no legisla-
No one Of the three factions will to-
day admit publicly such a statement OF
its case. Each crowd 10 prepared 10
vote consistently with its former atti-
tudes
''The Democrats" said a Republican
leader. will prepare no bills this time
with reference to getting insurgent sup
pcsa They will pass some measur
through the House. ] assume, In such
form that the progressive Republican
Senators will not accept them, and they
will stand pat by those measures. With.
out insurgent support In the Senate
nothing, can pass; and in the end moth