The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-07-19
SENATORS DODGE TARIFF.

| The Republican Senators who ar
lodging the vote on the House bills arr
doing themselves no credit. The Dem
ocratic Senators, agreeing with thu
House measures, being fellow Demo
Gratis with the Democratic Representa-
tives who passed the bills, naturally
wish to put those bills TO vote. Theil
idea, of course is "put the President
in hole,' and the Republican Sena
tors do not seem to have nerve enough
to meet the issues.
The Republican Senators are divided
into two kinds. the standpatters and
tbe insurgents, or progressives. The
standpatters, of course, are obliged, not
alone bv the claims Of their party, but
from protective principles held by the
Republican party from the first, TO op'
pose these House measures; first, be.
cause they tend to set aside the Protec-
tive principle and, second, because
they are purely partisan and antagonis-
tic to Republican issues in the present
campaign. The insurgents, or progress-
ives, claiming to be Republicans, are
equally bound by the Republican priu-
eiple OF protection, their fealty to that
principle being as pronounced and as
openly proclaimed as the like fealty
of the staudpatters They differ, to be
sure, as to the application of the pro-
tectve principle on many points, but as
to the general principle involved, there
l. hoA l.
two wings Of the Republican party. 1t
ought to be a clear case, therefore, that
the Republican Senators could easily
get together on the proposition Of de-
Tending the protective principle, which
has been the keynote Of the Republican
party since its organization. and vote
down these bills. A nominal Republi-
can who cannot do this is not 8 Repub
lican, but an assistant Democrat.
The progressive Republican Senators,
it is announced, wish tc offer amend.
ments to these bills; but that would in
dicate an acceptance by these Senators
of the general principle involved In the
Democratic measures which are avow
edly an attack on protection. The Dem
ocrats are acting, in the pressing of
these measures, upon the declaration of
the National Democratic platform this
year, which declares il to be ga funda.
mental principle of the Democratic
party that the Federal Government, un-
der the Constitution, has no right or
power to impose or collect tariff du-
ties, except for the purpose Of reve.
nue. This is the principle upon which
these bills are drawn. 1t is the prin
ciple which the Republican party mas
always opposed, holding. on the con.
trsry, that the government not only
has The right, but that it is its duty,
to impose tariffs SO as to build up
American industries, as we'll as TO OBJ.
tain revenue.
1t follows, therefore, that if the Re.
publican Senators continue in this
quasi support Of Democratic measures,
they abandon the Republican principle
Of protection. and desert the time hon
pred and beneficial basis upon which
the Republican party has always acted
in the imposition of tariff duties. But
if the progressive Republicans intend
10 do this, they should come out like
men and say so, Joining the Democrats,
lelping them 10 "put the President IN
4 hole as the Democrats seek to do.
But on this question the President can
veil afford 70 be "put in hole" as
{ would give him an opportunity by
veto TO administer such q scathing re-
,uke 10 Democratic pretense and Dem.
'cratic folly as would tend powerfully |
o the triumph of the Republican party
1t the election next November.
1t is certainly time thst the Repub- |
lean Senators got together on this |
main question: but if they cannot get |
ogether on this question, IL is impos-
ible for them TO get together on any |
question; and if that is proved TO be the
act, the sooner the case IS made ~
nd the American people get 10 under
tspd il. the better it will be for all |
oncerned. and especially for the
traight Republican party.