The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-05
DEMOCRATS ALIVE
TO TAFT POLICY
REFUSE TO HOLD BACK TARIFF
LEGISLATION To AID MS
NOMINATION..
NEED CAMPAIGN SLOGAN
BY Victor Elliott.

bS VICTOR Elliott.
WASHINGTON. July Are the
! Democrats of the house going to
forestail President Tart in presenting
, 10 the people Of the country one Of
I the strongest bids for eotes In th-
next national campaign?
1 Indications are that this il ex-
tremely likely speakes. Champ
Clark II Is reported. mas tiatIv re-
fused To consider proposition ad-
+ yanced ty President Taft at White
House conference presiding for the
tarin revision az this session OF con-
gress except the reciprocity bill
Whether the president was trying
10 put one over" an MI Clark is not
Known. but It looks as though some
lively press agent. possibly the s-cre-
tarS 10 the president Charles Dewey
fiilles. who is accredited with being
long headed politician and an "ad-
vance man Of no mean ability. had
suggested scoop On the Demo-
ctats.
Mr.. Clark was just as farseeing,
hatly refused tn advocate any prop
osition that would tend TO limit the
scope of the house Democrats.
President TafGs Plan.
IL is known that President Taft
desires denomination, and the best
vote getter in 1912 viii be the cry.
The Republicans have lowered the
high cost of living, Notwithstanding
the handicap of Democratic house.
/ Naturally, the credit of Canadian re-
, ciprocity is due 10 the efforts of
President Taft and, few, very few,
! Republicans. That is one asset in his
favor, Tariff revision which would
tend to further reduce the high cost
=. of living is sought to be accomplish
ed by the Republicans. not only to
forestall the Democrats in having
good capital in the 1912 campaign
but to recover the ground already
lost to them during. the last congress
sional and gubernatorial elections.
when Democratic landslides occurred
in various States and changed COM
pletely the makeup Of the house,
and to a great extent that of, the
! senate
The Developments of the past few
days have set some of the Repub-
leans to thinking how best they can
circumvent the Democrats in the pres
ent crisis. Whereas two weeks ago
it looked very much as though con-
I gress would adjourn at least by Au-
gust /. it now seems that congress Is
lils ely to stay In session until Decem-
4 Der, or at least late in the fall
Republican leaders are discussing
the ACCESSIBILITY OF considering tariff
revision at this session. and Speaker
ten -l-ss, = .tv,a Il sta
the president has convinced them that
IL they are to get the credit of re-
vising the tariff il must be started
soon by the Republicans themselves.
Want Tariff For Issue.
The spectacle OF Republican SEN
ate. backed by a Republican presi-
dent forcing the tariff revision prop
iosition on the country at the regular
session OF congress beginning next
winter probably has been knocked
In the head. The dream of the pres'-
dent and his close advisers in CON
gress has been dissipated. They are
preparing now to roll up their sleeves
and force the issue at the present
session. The constitution Of tho
United States requires the house TO
originate all bills relating to revenue,
and the house IL Democratic and not
I9anxioas 10 syeak s4ie sartn :. fsssis e, Is -
moved from the 1919 campaign.
Congress Is beginning to feel the
! pressure Of. Important business. TO, set
tie down and pursue the even tenor
or It's way Republican Senators from
states where there are big protected
interests are beginning to hear from
home. They are being urged To dc
something TO stop tho cndless tar'n
Legislation, and they are getting sug
gestions that 1t might be better tc
revise the tariff under Republican
Senate.
some Of the important protected
interests OF Pennsylvania are coming
to be Of this mind. That ts why Sen
. ator Penrose, OF PennssIyani mia. as
well as Representative Daixell. OF ths
same State, are beginning to say sc
in interviews and wiz SHORTLY let Il
become otYiciaily known that they ia
vor tariff revision.
Force Republicans 70 Act.
Consequently it Is rumored that this
condition will force Republicans il
the House and the Senate into de.
manding some sort OF consideration
OF tariff revision at this session
a Ii things had turned out as Presi-
dent Taft had. expected and ~ Ger
tain Senators and Republicans hac
hoped, the Senate would have quickly
agreed to Canadian reciprocity and
the President would have signed ths
measure. Congress would then have
adjourned to meet again next Decem-
ber,, when President Taft would have
sent In q strong message dealing with
tariff revision based on the findings
Of the tariff board.
The matter would have become the
great question OF the session. and
no matter what its outcome. whether
the. tariff was revised downward OF
upward or sideways. the Republican
party would have had ,ae Benefit OF
the results in the 1919 campaign
President Taft would have mad plent,
OF material for innumeraple speeches
on any trips he might nave taken
and altogether everything would have
been in good shape to start OF the
republican campaign auspicious,y.
Blow Has Been avertetl.
Woodrow Wilson. Champ Clark
Judson Harmon ard ofner leading
lights and possible candidates Of ths
4 Democratic party wou.G nave beer
lacking In vote-getting material. ant
the prospects for Democratic success
at the polls might have received 4
serious blow.
/ Now however everything Is Of goot