New-York tribune., 1911-02-19
STPtAGE RFDFTLLO VS..

The. huiuer of the adage that politics
makes strange bedfellows' is being Illus
ira ted nowadays with more than usual
piouancy in the State Of Iowa. Iowa has
been known as stronghold OF pro
gressive" Republicanism. Its ''progres-
sive" politicians, assembled In state con
vention last summer. pointedly rebuSed
President Taft on the ground that he
was not progressive" enough for them
in the matter Of downward tariff re-
vision. But now that the administration
has negotiated q reciprocity agreement
with Canada which will afford much
freer exchanges across tho border these
same politicians are complaining that
the President is more progressive" than
he ought 10 be and are devising means
~ hold his "radicaliSm" In check.
The Hon. Albert B. Cummins, the
senior Senator from Iowa. was the chie1
keynoter az last years convention. He
predicted an ''iUepressible conflict in
the Republican party tn be caused by the
antsgoniSm aroused in the Western
states hy President Tafts alleged indif-
ference 80 genuine downward revision.
Yet he Is now maneuvrinc 70 defeat the
Canadian reciprocity agreement because
II does not provide exactly the sort Of
downward revision which he considers
palatable 10 the Iowa farmers. In his
anxiety TO defeat legislation carrying
the agreement into effect he has thrown
himself into the arms Of his Junior col
lea que. the Hon. Lafayette Young, who
has represented in Iowa politics sl the
''res ctiopaYyr tendencies against which
Mr.. Cummins has been fighting for the
last ten years
The senior Senator'S objections 70 the
Canadian agreement arc more specioUs
than convincing. He argues that 1t Is
not comprehensive enough and purposes
amending it In the Senate in q way
which will kill all chance of its accept
ance by Canada. Mr. Cummins last year
heartily favored the policy of piecemeal
tariff revision Now, when a pecemeal
measure is presented in Congress which
must he accepted or rejected as whole
he wants to open it TO general amend
ment loading if down with provisions
which could he much more suitably in
corporated in either piecemeal measures
The strategy Of such q progrs mme is ap-
parent. for MI. Cummins cannot afford
to oppose reciprocity directly. ou the
same grounds on which Mr.. Young op-
poses it. but has Ia try to save his face
by attacking IL from quite an opposite
direction This course. we notice. does
not commend itself 10 The Dos MoineS
Register and Leader" the mos, couSpic-
uouS progressive Republican newspaper
in Iowa. formerly one Of Mr. Cunnmins' S
most earnest supporters. II asks:
on what theorv can n member Of Con-
gress Who has urged tariff reform one
schedule 1T q time now refuse his sup
Port 10 a reciprocity agreement because
II does not have everything on the free
list that might he put there? Why
should the country hn asked 10 lump
every possible tariff change In this one
measure. and that IN 3 hurry. when the
very thing tariff .reformers have been
complaining Of has been tho disposition
Of the high tariff men 10 insist on every
thing 0r nothing IN their bills? . q.
There may he a deep game of politics
IN Washington tha. demands the emas-
Culation of the Presidents plans even
when the President is doing just what
the progressiyes have argued for all
these years II there is. the people do
not appreciate il.
They may not appreciate the subtlety
Of Mr.. Cummings strategy. but they will
not be slow 10 appreciate the humor Of
his predicament