The Washington times., 1913-04-07
Old Guard Republicans
Expect Tariff Changes
To Re-estabIish Party

Old Guard Republican leaders are sit
ting back in their seats and looking on
the tariff procession. wondering whether
history is going to repeat itself and
give the Republican party one more
lease of life.
Many of them make no secret Of the
fact that they are hopeful. The pre-
vailing view Of the Old Guard who will
not listen to talk of Republican re-
organization is that the tariff offers the
one real reliance Of the Republican
party as a means of getting itself re-
turned to power.
Not a few Republican leaders at fhe
Capitol are predicting that the country
will object so strongly to the Demo
cratic tariff program that there will be
a Republican landslide in 1914 when the
Congressional elections are held.
Efforts of progressive Republicans to
bring about national convention
whose object will be the liberalization
of the rules OF the political game have
met with much engagement in some
directions. but. on the other hand, they
are baked at present by the desire Of
certain standpat leaders to wait ard see
whether the tariff revision pre- gram
does not give rise to a demand for
the return OF the Republican party to
power.
Cummins Wants Action.
If 1t were not for the fact that the
standpat Republicans are buoyed up by
the hope that the tariff program Of
the Democrats will prove unpopular.
there is little question that the plan
for a national Republican convention
would be easily brought to a focus
Senator Cummins. who Is urging it.
has found much support, but, on the
other hand, is disappointed at the dis
position in some quarters to sit around,
like Micawber. and wait for tariff dis
to turn up.
All the indications are that the tariff
revision now undertaken by the DEM
ocrats Is either the beginning of
low tariff era In this country. with
tariffs in theory on the revenue basis,
or that its marks the prelude to scien-
tinc handling OF tariffs by a strong
such tariffs to be moderate
iy protective.
Should serious financial and business
follow the revision of the
tariff by the Democrats, then 1t is
almost inevitable the country will de-
eide 1t wants no more experience of
this sort in the near future. II will
then probably go to the tariff commits
sion plan. for there is little likelihood
that Congress will ever revert to the
old Aldrich method of heaping on tar
IL rates as high as the manufacturers
want them.
Fear Result of Change.
The real question not yet answered is
1t is possible to make general
and large reductions in the tariff sys-
tenn without upsetting business and |
thousands out OF employment |
1t is fact that many men in Con-
gress of all parties who would be glad |
to see such revision are apprehensive
that it cannot successfully be carried |
through without defeating the party
that tries It.
II this sort Of a revision Is found i'm
then there will be nothing
eft. apparently, but to take up the
plan and from time to time
-evise schedule or two. making the
changes SO gradually as to give no
shock to the country and working out
'ates measured by difference in produc-
ion costs, as near as this may be posi-
Die.
On the other hand, IL the present re-
'ision is a success; IL II disturbs the
but little, and IL It tends to
-educe living costs, then II may be re-
yarded as certain that a long season OF
ariffs still lower than those now con-
emplated Is ahead. That the farmers
II the country. once stripped of pro-
ection. are going to demand more and
more insistently the same treatment for
'ther producers, is almost inevitable.
That is what happened in England in
he 'ps, and II will undoubtedly happen Il
n the United States. II