Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-05-18
PLAN FOR DEFINITE ACTION IN
CONGRESS NOT YET FORM.
uLATED.
PROGRESSIVE CONTINGENT
LESS FoRcEFUL AND COHESIVE
Absence Takes Away Az
srossivs Lsads-Dsmoerats Appar.
emily Lose Anxiety to Pass Tariff
Msasurss-ssnater cummins Still
Actively at Work for Revision.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
Washington. May 1.-THE working
out of any definite tariff program in
the senate in this session OF con-
gress is proving difficult and elusive.
Over attention to politics. indifference
Of many democratic members to re-
vision. the actual hostility to revision
Of small body Of the democrats. the
hostility to a change in duties on the
part Of the regular republican leaders
all these matters are entering into
the situation and making it hard to ac-
complish anything.
Another fact in the situation that
can not be overlooked is that the pro-
.gressive republican contingent in the
senate, which has shown great vigor
and cohesion for the last two or three
sessions, is less forceful in this ses-
sion than hitherto. 1t is true the pro-
gressive republicans are still active
and working in more or less close har-
mony. But the fact that Senator La
Toilette has been out OF the senate al
most the entire session for the pur-
pose largely of promoting his cam
paign for the presidency has removed
something .: che ass-essiveness from
the progressives. The lack of Sem
ator LaFollette Is felt especially in
connection with the wool schedule and
1t Will be felt in connection with the
cotton schedule If that is considered
by the senate. as it is expected now
that 1t will be. The Wisconsin sena-
tor had made an especial study of
these two schedules. In his absence.
Senator Cummins has taken up the
wool schedule and will make fight
for its revision. tho he says frankly he
has had too many other senate du-
ties on his hands to give the subject
all the attention it deserves.
Democrats Lose Anxiety.
Many Of the democratic senators and
house democrats as well are showing
far less anxiety to pass tariff legis-
lation and actually get duties reduced
than they are to do what they call
save the tariff issue 1t is not easy
to see, in view OF the fact the country
has had the tariff issue with 1t for
generations just why there should be
any anxiety on this score. But it Is
nevertheless q fact that all too many
democratic members think their posi-
ton Of vantage in the presidential
and congressional campaign would be
not a little injured if tariff bills
should actually be passed, signed by
the president and put on the statue
books. Members OF the senate who are
earnestly working to get tariff reduc-
tons written into the law at this ses-
sion are conscious of the influence Of
this sentiment.
High Tariff Crowd Won't Surrender.
The attitude Of the high tariff repub-
lican senators is in substance just
what II has always been. They are de-
termined to give no ground on the
tariff that they are not forced to give.
1t is true that they are giving sort
OF lip profession of loyalty to the idea
OF having duties revised on the basis
of the findings OF tariff board. But
in reality they are no fonder OF this
idea than of yore. They are support
ing 1t because they see in 1t a con-
venient way to make absolutely needed
concessions to public sentiment and
because they find that as a rule the
tariff board figures can be made to
sustain interpretations which will
really reduce their essential protec-
ton either but little or not at all.
II is we'll understood that the haste
with which the high tarif republicans
endorsed the report of the tariff board
on wool was due to the fact they per-
ceived that on the basis Of this report
they could Justify reductions which.
broadly speaking. would merely wipe
out unnecessary protection and leave
the yool and wool manufacturing IN.
dustry still possessed Of an adequate
measure OF duties to shut out foreign
competition as successfully as before.
cummins Still at Work.
While Senator Cummins and num-
Der of the progressive republicans and
democrats in the senate are still work
ing vigorously for the passage Of tariff
revision bills at this session, serious
obstacles are looming more distinctly
than they were a few weeks ago. The
metal schedule. embodying the steel
schdule. IL just now before the senate.
Progress on It has been slow. On the
face OF things the bill by Senator Cum
minis can command the support to pass
it. But there are rumors Of hlibuster
afoot and there Is serious prospect that
the bill will be beaten by the regulars
by the same sort Of tactics they found
last session. This consists merely in
refusal of the regulars to vote. in being
called away to the cloakrooms or the
cafe at the opportune time.
FiIibustsr 10 Easy.
The efficacy of employment of alb
eentee tactics can readily be under