The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-01
Republicans Not Hopeful In
 Party Outlook
SMALL CHANCE FOR TAFT
Some of the Leaders of the G. o. F. Do Not Believe That Taft Has Chance to Be Elected Presi-
 dent in 1912
BY PATTERSON sTEALEY

Washington, December 31.-(Special.)- With most of us of the opinion that the President can't be reelected the new year doesn't open with very fattering prospects for the g. O. D. said re- publican congressman today.
 He went on to narrate republican diff ference and available candidates, finding the former irreconcilabIe and of the lat ter perhaps Justice Hughes of the SUI preme court alone offering a prospect ol party redemption.
 "We are going to have a great time at our national convention IS months hence,' he unused. Most of us are going there as matters now stand in the belief that Mr. Taft can't win At the same time, most of us will be for him and I think his nomination assured. An insurgent of the LaFollette type would be slaughtered by the regulars. On the whole, the future of the party is about as dark as I have known it.''
 This view of republican conditions is not an exaggerated one. It is that which republican congressman In Senate and House are frank to admit. There Is but OhC AOPC III tiiC iCpubiiNdH DiDosAs dhd that Is that the democratic House will go to pieces over the tariff.i The party finds itself in that wretched position for years held by the democrats-the only expectation of success being based upon the hazard of it's opponents blundering. On the other hand, it is difficult to find democratic congressman who is not bubhling over with optimism over his partys future Prophecies of a democratic split rest almost entirely in the republican party. There will be differences on the
 With the thousands of classifica-
 fas. products and by-products, ii
 be otherwise, but no dsn1eeIa ai
 hat the tlndorW pod bill or bills
 from the Heuse 10 the Senate will
 iily decrease ratss and in every
 constitute superior tariff revision
 ; at of the republican Congress.
 republican press is placing great fs ss upon the attitude it assumes Is borioe by democratic s,nators. There is not however a democr.tic senator, who. takingN the schedules ge,erally, is against a redusction. All are agreed that the Payne rates are in geleral too high. Of course, a much betts bill or bills will come out M O1 the oSrWneln1nS nSly uefnO- cratic Housse than can be agreed upon in conferenceA. fopfhe Senate is republic san. The republicans, however will have little to hope for when they depend upon democratic votes in the Senate. They will get very few if any.
 As for the republican insurgent sena- tors they will be given an opportunity to prove their sincerity and a chance to vote in accordance with their criticisms of the Payne act. If they flicker their condition will be worse than that of the regulars. If the insurgent repubi can senators join the democrats in the Senate a bill far superior to the Payne act will be sent to the President His veto of measure representing a coun- try-wide demand for tariff reduction makes the issue for 1912. His approval confesses that his own party could not frame as good bill the democrats send him
 So if the new year has in store demo- cratic evil, it is not apparent to party leaders in the House and Senate. The prospective speaker of the new House is prepared to assume his responsibilities with the utmost confidence, and over on the Senate side, MT. Money. the demo- cratic caucus chairman, says it is happier new year than he has been able to figure out in two decades.