Evening star., 1912-11-12
REVISION Of TARIFF
Speculation as to Attitude of
the lnsurgent Senators.
RADICAL OR CONSERVATIVE?
Democratic Margin Of Control Likely
to Be Slender.
FEAR OF EFFECT ON BUSINESS
Some Members Of Dominant Party
in Congress Protest Against Ex-
treme Cuts In Rates.
RADICAL OR CONSERVATIVE?
EAR OF EFFECT ON BUSINESS

What attitude will the republican in
surgent senators take toward the demo-
cratic tariff revision bills?
That is the subject of much specula-
ton just at present and may largely de-
termine the question whether or not the
revision of the tariff by the new Congress
that will come into Office with President
Woodrow Wilson will be along conserva-
tive or radical lines.
Without the help Of the republican in
surgents 1t is practically admitted the
democrats can put through the Senate
only conservative tariff revision. The
democratic margin Of control will be
slender, probably a majority OF only two
or three. The loss Of couple or three
democratic votes to the republicans would
mean a failure of the democratic pro-
posals, and to avoid that the tariff re-
vision measure would necessarily be
framed along conservative lines.
And the training of several democratic
senators with the republicans Is not as
unlikely as it might seem. When the
Payne-Aldr1ch tariff bill was being pushed
through the Senate the republicans coulo
practically always count on the two LOU
isiana democratic senator's when IN
light place.
"Along Protective Lines"
There are other democrats who will be
in the next Congress and who are very
conservative on tariff rate cuts. Some
democrats frankly say they want revision
"along protective lines" Others fear the
effect on business of radical change OF
custom duties and think along the prin-
ol01o <1,nk Ia better
of valor'' reduction should be gradual.
In the last session Senator Newlands pro-
posed horizontal reductions of definite
percentage each year over period OF
years. And there are other senators VINO
think some such general principle might
well be applied.
Therefore, a radical revision of the
tariff rates would seem to depend upon
the republican insurgents. They nave
been shouting for tariff revision, ana
some of them trained with the demo-
Gratis in the last two sessions When the
democrats were In control of the House
and put several tariff revision bills up to
the Senate. 1t was with the aid of the
republican progressives that tariff bills
were pushed through the Senate and
later put up to President Taft.
What "Progressives" May Do.
Even if the conservative democrats
would not support radical tariff revision
measures, it Is contended, the republican
progressives might vote with the demo-
cratic progressives in favor of radical re-
vision. Again, they may not. Their at
titude is the basis for speculation, in
view Of the effect 1t will have on the
tariff legislation that is sure to follow the
return Of the democrats to power In the
White House and in Congress.
The makeup Of the Senate finance
committee, too, will have an important
bearing on the character of the tariff
legislation which the new Senate will
adopt. Senator Simmons of North Caro-
tina will be the ranking democrat on the
committee after March next, and, by
all the rules of precedent, should be the
next chairman of the committee. He Is a
conservative, it Is well known. Other
democrats on the committee are Senators
Stone, Williams. Kern and Johnson of
Maine. At least one Of these is conser-
vative on tariff cuts.
Three or four more democrats Will
likely be placed on the committee when
the Senate is reorgan.zed after March
4, one to take the place of Senator
Bailey Of Texas. who retires with the
coming session, and the others to raise
the democratic membership from a mi
nority to majority.
Republicans Missing.
Two of the republican members of the
committee will be missing when the COM
mittee meets after March 4-Senator Cul-
lom, whose term expires March 4. and
Senator Hepburn, recently deceased. All
Of the seven remaining republicans, ex-
cept Senator La Toilette. are regulars and
are sure to be against the democratic
proposals for the tariff cuts. In view
Of the narrow margin of democratic con-
troll of the Senate the democratic con-
troll Of committees Is not Likely to be
big margin. Therefore, two or three con-
servative democrats, with the help of the
republican regulars the committee,
would seem to hold the balance of power.
Should new members of the committee
be conservative democrats 1t would prob
ably mean that the Senate finance COM
mittee would report conservative tariff