The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-08

sugar and that as matter of fact
they were less prepared for reduction
than any other protected interest IN
the country.
But the Louisiana delegation-demo-
crats-were bitterly opposed to any
such plan They placed themselves
squarely between their party and re-
demption of its pledges For the sake
of an investment in Louisiana of $ls,-
100000 to $20.000.000 they want the
people of the United States to pay an
annual tribute of s50,0o0,000 to $780,
600, 900
The President told them plainly that
they could accept the duty of l cent
per pound for three years with the
distinct understanding that at the emu
of that time there would no longer be
duty on sugar, or that the bill would
go to Congress as it was with free
sugar, and free wool both. 1t was
for the sake of fighting this matter
out now and presenting united party
on the tariff programme that the Pres
ident introduced the issue now rather
than let 1t be fought out later on the
floor of the Senate.
Louisiana Unreconciliable
It appears, however. that the Louis
lana delegation is unreconeilable to the
situation. They demand l cent per
pound on sugar permanently or they
viii fight and refuse to be bound by
party caucus.
Just what the result will be no one
can now forecast. BY an alliance with
those senators who favor a duty on
wool, the sugar senators may be able
to write into the bill in the Senate
a duty on both sugar and wool. On
the other hand the administration may
be able to muster enough strength
among the progressive republicans, led
by Senator LaFollette, to pass the Dill
unamended. The situation now Is,
however, with the President, that he
faces Just the same kind of a prob
lem faced by President Taft. He stands
the same way before the country Taft
believed in tariff reform; he urged it
upon Congress; he wanted to keep faith
with the people. but in the end he took
the bill as doctored by Aldrich and told
the people that 1t was a good bill, and
the best he could do and at the same
time became tho executioner of his own
administration and political fortunes.
Taft's Example
If the Senate butchers up the Under
wood bill. will Wilson do as Taft did?
That Is the question that many men,
bers of Congress and many people all
over the country would like to have
answered right now. VIII he, for the
sake of getting a part way toward the
goal, consent to the partial redemption
of party promises? Or will he veto
the bill and calmly call another ex-
traordinary session of Congress for the
purpose of revising the tariff? If TAFT
had done that, it is conceded by every
thoughtful student of political economy
in the country that he would today be
President of the United States instead
of professor at Yale. Taft made many
failures in his administration, but the
most gigantic failure was without
doubt when he refused to rise to the
occasion and the opportunity and veto
the Payne-Aldrich tariff bill.
Wilson Will Be Firm
Those who know Wilson declare that
he will without hesitation veto the Un-
derwood bill If the Senate attempts to
make a patchwork document of it. He
will not permit any interest to stand
between the administrations duty to-
ward the people.
In the meantime harmony may yet
prevail and the Senate may surrender
and climb aboard the band wagon.
Private interest must yield to public
interest--individual preference to party
necessity.
When the tariff bill is finally passed
1t will be no compromise measure If
it is to receive the signature of the
President of the United States, is the
firm conviction of a vast majority of
the members of Congress. IL the ad-
ministration fails, it must fail because
its policies are not the best for the
country-and not because of halfway
efforts to put those policies into ef-
feet.