Evening star., 1920-12-22
DESERT TRADITIONS
TO SUPPORT TARIFF
Fear of Constituents Leads
House Democrats to Vote
for Emergency Bill.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Abnormal economic conditions are
producing abnormal political divisions
everywhere, but the attitude of the
democrats toward the emergency
tariff bill about to be passed by the
House Of Representatives is the most
significant thing that has happened
since the political upheavaf which the
country experienced at the polls last
November.
Informally canvassing the democrats
in the House, the leaders found a Few
days ago that about two-thirus OF
them were getting ready 70 vote vote ioa ior
in spite of the fact that the wool
schedule is much higher, than the
famous schedule X which President
Taft finally admitted was indefensl-
BILE"
with their brethren and found out
that fear OF the farmers and cattle :
raisers was at the bottom OF the
protectionist feeling of the democrats
who were not afraid OF republican
opposition, but the prospect that pro
tectionist democrats might arise In
the next primaries to contest their
seats. The democratic leaders found
that the democratic rank and file had
been persuaded to believe that tney
would not be held to task by low
tariff democratic constituents for vot-
ing for an emergency measure. The
upshot of the conferences. however.
was a considerable return TO the
original democratic position on the
tariff and there will not be as many
democratic votes for the Fordney Dbl
as it seemed at first. The vote, now
ever, will be surprising.
Democratic Leadern' Contentisn.
The contention of the democratio
leaders is that il q democrat votes
for the principle Of protection in an
mergency measure he will ma II
difficult to oppose the tariff meas
ures which the republicans will un-
questionabIy offer as permanent
policy when the extra session of Con-
gress has been convened.
How. it is asked, can democrat
reverse himself when the real tariff
bills are before him nnext spring? Ac-
cordingly: many democrats. especial
ly those in the Senate. are announc-
ing that they will bitterly oppose
the Fordney bill when it reaches the
upper House. and that they will in
sist on thorough discussion and con-
siderable debate.
Democrats, however. will be found
supporting the bill. Senators Rams
dell and Gay Of Louisiana, as we'll as
some western democrats in whose
states the cattle raisers are clamor-
ing IOr tAflH pfotcCGou u Sup lie
fall in the price of wool, will form
a sturdy coalition which will assist
the republicans materially in get
ting the measure through the SEN
ate
Southern democrats are inclined to
line up against the measure, together
with some eastern republicans in the
Senate in whose states are manufac-
turing concerns who want foreign mar
kets, and fear a disturbance to trade
il retaliatory tariff wars are begun.
To Confer - Party Policy.
Senator Oscar Underwood of Ala
bama, who knows the tarin question
from "a" to II" because of the part
he played in framing the present tariff
laws when he was = member of the
House. is expected back here in a day
or two and will consult with Senator
Simmons and other democratic leaders
concerning a party policy. Moreover
the democratic ranks in Congress,
which show signs every now and then
of going to pieces on party policies, are
a ut to be strengthened when the party
conferences have been held after the
! first of the year. The whole tariff ef-
! fort in the present session is regarded
| by many democrats as a shrewd ef-
| fort on the part of republicans like
Senator Warren of Wyoming. who rep
resents a cattle-raising state to lay the
foundation for a high tariff in the ex-
| ira session of Congress, figuring that
even President Harding will not be
able to oppose the imposition Of tariff
duties that have already passed a Con-
gress in which republican majorities
are slender compared to the over
whelming strength Of the new Con-
(Copyright. 1901