Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-08-09
THEY ASK TOO MUCH
"iNsURGENT" REPUBLICANS AP.
PEAR PRESENTATIONS.
Democratic Votes Should Put Through
tho Wool Schedules, Regardless
Of Sentiment Of the Party
In the Minority.

OF course. the Smoot wool bill will
receive no consideration from the
Democrats of the senate. 1t provides
for higher duties on woolens than are
provided for In the La Toilette bill.
and, Of course. higher than those In
the Democratic bill. Though there
are reductions. they are not consider
able, and the old specific, compensa-
tory taxes are retained. The bill is
chiefly interesting as indicating that
even Senator Smoot seems to have
learned that the present wool tarlff.
which he helped to put through only
two years ago. will no longer do.
The La Toilette bill is. Of course.
better than the Smoot bill, but it does
not go as far as the Democratic bill.
AS this latter is open to criticism on
the score Of Its conservative charac-
ter, it is hard to see why the Demo-
Gratis should make any further con-
cessions. Their bill was prepared
with the idea that 1t might go through
with the help Of the votes Of those Re-
publicans who really desired tariff re-
duction. It is, therefore, compro-
mise measure offered by men who
proved by their adoption Of it that
they sincerely wished for some action
at this session. How much further
ought they to be expected to go in
sacrificing party principles for the
sake Of Republican votes?
1t seems to us that the country has
q right to demand some concessions
from the insurgents. The Democratic
bill is not radical, and was not In
tended to be radical. 1t was passed
by the house, the body in which this
sort Of legislation ought to originate.
It is now backed by practically the
solid Democratic strength of the sen.
ate. Yet few Republicans are in
sisting on their right to impose their
will on the Democrats, and to ask a
heavily Democratic house of repre-
sentatives to repudiate their own bill
and to substitute therefor bill pre-
pared by a few Republican senator's.
And the bill is more protective than
the Democratic measure which is 1t.
self thought by many Democrats to
be too protective. "a,
We fully appreciate the importance
Of getting something done, but 1t
should be remembered that any re-
vision Of the wool schedule now will
be pleaded in bar of further revision
in the near future. Those attempting
1t will be assailed with the old cry
against tinkering with the tariff.
Therefore, the Democrats should go
as far as they can at this session. A
good deal has been yielded already.
We suggest that it might be we'll to
put the responsibility for defeating
the very moderate measure Of reform
that is proposed directly up to the in
surgents. They have fought reci-
procity determinedly, largely on the
ground that it was not fair to the
farmers. Will they care, after the
reciprocity agreement is adopted, to
defeat the two bills that are designed
to meet their own objections? This
is doubtful. The Democrats have
made very fair and honest bid for
insurgent support. The bid should be
accepted, and with gratitude. The
house bill is the best Of the three, and
1t ought to pass and become law,
Indianapolis News.