The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-03-08
WOOL MAY DECIDE
THE PRESIDENCY
(By Winfield Jones.)
al to The Chieftain.

will be discussed on the stump more
than any other issue during the ma
tional campaign, and affairs are so
shaping themselves that the presi-
dency may be decided on the one word
wool"
The woolen schedule is admittedly
the most iniquitous in the Payne-Ald-
rich tariff law President Taft in his
Winona speech admitted as much, and
the report of the tariff board declares
tnat most of the rates in this schedule
are excessive and that others are pro
hibitory
This schedule will be revised by the
democrats of the house and even the
republican members of the ways and
means committee have become con-
yinced that revision is imperative.
The tariff as whole is to be the
dominant note of the campaign of
1912, but the wool schedule in partic-
ular will be the bone of contention
over which candidates, orators, and
platform makers will wrangle. The
woolen schedule affects practically
every citizen of the United States, for
it covers what he puts upon his back.
Democrats of the houpse plan to
soon bring in bill revising this sche-
dule. 1t is understood that it will
closely follow the lines of the bill
which passed the house last session,
and which passed the senate in amend
ed form. This bill was vetoed by the
president and it matters not whether
President Taft eventually signs wool
bill, he will be confronted with the
charge that he delayed revision for
several months and the relief to which
the public was entitled was unneces-
sarily postponed.
The bill last session made cut of
about AZ per cent, on the average in
the existing rates of Schedule X. 1t
is probable that the democratic mem
bers of the ways and means commit
tee will put through a bill at this ses-
sion that reduces the rates in about
the same proportion. Then the bill
will go over to the senate, where the
acknowledgements coalition may
again put through the measure. This
was done last session and the presi-
dent vetoed the creation of the demo-
cratic majority in the house and the
coalition of democrats and insurgents
in the senate.
1t is not assured that the president
will not veto the next wool bill pre-
sented to him. He has consulted Rep
resenative Payne. author of the pres
ent tariff law, and it has been decided
that they shall frame substitute for
the proposed democratic bill This
is to be drawn lin accord
ance with the republican principle of
protection"
The democrats of the house-and
the insurgents of the house and SEN
ate--will not stand for bill that car
ries excess protection. If the Payne
substitute does not make material
cuts in Schedule X, it will be unable
to get the support of progressive re-
publicans in either branch Of con-
gress.
Then the president would have to
veto or sign the democratic bill In
the event of the former course Presi- |
dent Taft viii have to go to the coun-
try nthe issue that it did not con-
tain sufficient protection and the fu-
ture of the republican party and its
candidates would depend upon wheth
er the country is willing to forego inn
mediate revision in order to maintain
The protective principle.
Democratic members of the ways /
and means committee will frame
bill on a tariff for revenue basis. .
The lines are sharply drawn between
he two factions in this respect. The
republican insurgents of the house
have no representation in the ways
md means committee, so the two bills
hat are considered in that committee
viii be a protective bill and a revenue
BILL
The democrats, intent upon tariff re-
vision and honest in their SUPPOSE,
will be able to convince the country
hat the republican party is still stand
pat" regardless of the exhaustive re-
port of the tariff board, which justifies
claims that the rates of
Schedule X are outrageously high.
Republican insurgents, nearly all of
whom are not friendly to the presi-
lent, will not hesitate to vote with
he democrats in order to embarrass
Taft, in the event it is shown that the
does not propose to
lave a sweeping reduction of the wool
ariff
Democratic leaders say that the dem
'crats are willing to go to the country
m the issue of protection and that IL