New-York tribune., 1922-07-08
Warming on
New Tariff
Stirs Senate
Republican Leaders Dis
turbed by La Folleite's
Payne-Aldrich Spectre;
CIOire Is Beaten 1876
By Carter Field


WASHINGTON. July THE spectre
Of a Democratic House elected this fall
and Democratic President two years
hence was dangled before the Senate
Republican leaders to-day by Senator
Robert NJ. La Toilette. Protection gone
mad, he warned, would lead to history
repeating itself He drew a parallel
between the present Fordney-McCum-
Der bill and the PayncAldrich bill Of
1909, the signing Of which cost Presi-
den, Taft his reelection and turned the
country over TO Woodrow Wilson for
eight years.
ITS just la Toilette raving again
said some Of the Republican leaders,
bu, their faces did not reflect the
lightncss Of their words. La Toilette
lad just painted the prospect little
more unplcasantly than any one else
had so far. Actually, with the an
nouncemcnt by Lenroot that the bill
must be revised. with the statement Of
Senator Norris. OF Nebraska, that he
will probably vote against it and with
rumblngs from At least half the
s,aneh Republican newspapers OF the
country, many OF the Republican lead
ers usually classed by their opponents
as strongly rcactionary are beginning
to wonder II they have not gone too
far.
Senator La Follette's speech came in
the debate on the cloture resolution
offered BY Republican leaders in an
effort TO end the tariff debate. This
resolution was defeated by a vote Of
.6 10 35 with five Republicans vot-
ing against Il. Democratic Senators
warned that they intended to carry on
the fight against the tariff until Ocso-
Der | and give the Republicans only
thirty days TO make their explanations
10 their constituencies before the fall
elections.
II notice there are very few Repub-
licans on the floor" said Mr.. La Fol-
lettc. land | am sorry. For | wish
they would think about what happened
after Mr.. Taft signed the Payne-Ald-
rich bill. This is the time 10 think
about il, not after the bill is passed
and next falls election is over
Mr.. La Toilette resorted 10 his old
practice Of naming the Republican SEN
ators who were actually on the floor
listening 10 his remarks. In to-days
case there were only five. They in
/ cluded Borah and Norris and Ladd, who
were nodding cordial approval 20 prac-
/ tically everything he said.
In 1903. when the PayneAldrich bill
was passed, the Senator reminded his
audience the Republicans had 2l2 mem
bers OF the House and the Democrats
only ia. a clear majority Of 3S. In
the Senate the Republicans had at that
/ time a majority OF 26. two more than
AZ present. In the election that fol-
/ lowed passage Of that bill the Demo
Gratis elected 230 members OF the
/ House. and the Republican ranks were
thinned to 100. a majority Of 10 for
/ the Democrats. IL was then that
Champ Clark was elected Speaker. In
/ the Senate the Republican majority
was reduced 10 seven, though only one
third OF the upper House faced their
constituents. and two years later the
/ Democrats elected Woodrow Wilson
President and gained control Of the
Senate by a substantial majority.
They Held Control Until 1918
After the Payne-Aldrich debacle' Mr.
/ La Toilette pointed out, the Democrats
retained control Of the government un.
/ Ill 1918, when they lost the Senate and
/ House, and 1920. when they lost the
/ Presidency.
La Follette's attack on the bill to-day
was probably the most interesting
which has been made because, while
ne devoted much attention to the cot
ton schedule in particular, has NAN
drive was along the political line. Old
/ line Republican leaders contend Una,
I the rates OF the Payne-Aldrien D'il
we're not actually high, comparatively
The country at large. however, gener-
ally accepts without argument the con-
tcntion that the Payne-Aldrich bill was
more or less Of an outrage perpetrated
en- the American people. The popular
conception. perhaps growing more Out
OF Taft's original comments ana MS
later weakening. Is firmly hxed.
The point is made by those Repuo.
lieans who are afraid OF the noliticai
consequences Of the present bill that
It's rates in literally hundreds Of sched-
ules are higher than those OF the
Payne-Aldrich measure. The truth is'
they point out, that on account OF ex-
change rates and unsettled conditions
Ir Europe Il would be impossible 70
Get any real measure Of protection ior
tcontsssd ca sent esss)