The Washington times., 1912-10-28
SPLIT OVER TARIFF
FACES DEMOCRATS
If PARTY PREVAILS
Report of Deal to Delay
Legislation May Cause
Trpublefn Ranks.

Signs are already appearing that the
Democratic party. II II fuiflls its ex-
pectations and comes into power as the
result Of the November elections, will
split on the same rocks that proved so
troublesome for II back In Grover Cieve-
lands day.
give. them woTiment, and II they should
send Governor Wilson to the White
House II II likely to prove as big O
bone Of fierce contention as It did back
The remarkable story that a gentle
mems agreement' has been patched up
between the managers OF Governor
Wilson and Big Business to the effect
taken up at an extra session next spring
" Wilson becomes President. but will
so over until the regular session Of Con-
gress. which meets a year from next
December. is current. II this is shown
to have substantial basis II IL going
to give the Democratic leaders more DIFF
ferent varieties OF trouble than they
have probably dreamed Of. Governor
wilson. realising It's Importance, has
hastened to discredit II.
Means Two Years Delay.
In the fisrt place. to defer taking up
tho tariff until the regular session OF
the sixty-third Congress means that
the country will have to wait nearly
two years more before the tariff ques-
tion is laid aside. II Congress should
m,sI take up the tariff q year from next De; De;
be the summer of 1914 before there was
tariff legislation, az the ordinary pro-
eesses Of legislation go.
when these facts are considered, II Is
pain that large part Of the Demo-
cratic party is going to kick, and kick
hard, at any plan that does not mean
the taking up OF the tariff soon after
March I next-providing the Democrats
promptly. 4 powerful element OF the
Democrats in Congress will object to
delay. A still more formidable element
OF the Democratic voters Will object. In
the cities. the clamor for free meats
and for action on the tariff to reduce
the prices on necessities is strong. II Is
not hard to imagine what the people
who are making this clamor. who are
going to vote for Wilson to get the
tariff lowered, will say and do II they
find that Democratic President Is will
ing to pursue. q course that will mean
no tariff revision until about two years
from now.
Dicker on Tariff Reported.
The story goes that the word has been
passed around along the line to Big
Business by some OF the Wilson man.
ayers. by National Chairman McCombs
and others, that It need not worry
about the tariff; that II the Democrats
win they will take their own sweet time
about revision. and that such promises
have been put out for the purpose OF
getting votes from conservative gen.
tlemen interested in protected indus
tries. II this move has been made I,
Is likely to cost Wilson more votes than
he will gain by It. However. there Is
an air Of probability to the story. I,
Is In accordance with the methods fol-
lowed. not by all. but by some Of the
Democratic leaders. These methods are
to talk In radical fashion before elec-
ton and then slow up after election
Back In the early sos. the Democrats
talked free trade vociferousiy. but they
,, proceeded to pass a bill which the
Democratic reactionaries of the Senate
made so high that Cleveland branded II
as a measure marked by party perfidy
and dishonor.
The story OF a dicker on tariff re-
vision between the Wilson managers
and special business interests points TO
preparation for a repetition OF what oc-
CURED back In the last Cleveland ad-
min!stration. Such deal. could II be
proven. would cost the Democratic
party hundreds OF thousands OF votes
In the election and would turn great
numbers Of the Bryan voters over TO
the Bull Moose camp.