The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-08-04
THE WALL is CRACKING

The high tariff walls in the Senate
are cracking 1t is no longer ques-
tion of La Toilette, Lenroot and an
Edge going on the rampage against
specific schedules in the 'Fordney-Mc-
Cumber monstrocity. The insurgency
is becoming general.
On the cotton. schedule no fewer
than twelve members of the majority
broke away and voted for lower dn-
ties than those fixed by the finance
committee. The recalcitrants includ-
ed such intense regulars under or
binary circumstances as New of In
diana, Mccormick Of Illinois, Willis
of Ohio and Nelson of Minnesota. It
was the deadliest blow yet struck at
the McCumberites and 1t is question
whether they can survive it.
Up to the present time the country
has given little consideration to the
tariff. Perhaps there never before
has been quite the indifference to tar
if legislation as that which has pop
ularly been manifested since Fo-dney
began his work of trade 1 killing
through excessive tariff duties. The
mass of the people have been CON
cerned in other matters. They were
watching Genoa or the strikes or the
baseball game or something else. Con-
gress proceeded almost without a
word from the folks back home to re-
write tariff schedules along lines
strange to the fiscal legislation Of
this country and in extravagant de-
fance of the traditions of protection.
But at last the folks back home are
waking up. They have been aroused
from their apathy less by the Demo-
cratic than by the Republican press.
Democrats in general have been rath-
er content to give the Republicans all
the rope they desired, feeling sure that
their enemies would hang themselves.
They have not forgotten what hap
pened to the grand old party after the
Mckinley tariff became law. Nor
have they forgotten the fatal effects
Of the Payne-Aldrich schedules on the
Republican cohorts in 1910. They con-
fidently count on the Fordney- McCum.-
Der bill to do even more deadly exc
cution on the enemy in 1922.
The decentralization in the Republi-
can ranks grows apace. A mere rift
has widened into split so serious
that it is doubtful whether even pres
idential pressure can close it. The
Democrats, except in few cases,
have maintained solid front They
have protested with all their might
against the frightful added burdens
which the pending measure would i'm
pose on the American people. But
their human nature has not been
proof against the seductions which
Republican folly holds out to them
and they are more than half hoping
that this folly will be carried to the
limit. The conviction is borne in ON
them that that way lies victory for
their party in November--and victory
at SO cheap a price to them seems
wholly desirable.
1t is yet to be seen whether Presi-
dent Harding can save the situation.
We doubt his ability to do SO. This
Congress has been out of hand so
long that to secure control Of it is per-
haps task for which the complaisant
Harding is constitutionally untitled.
He has at no time yet shown those
qualities of leadership which are de-
manded now if recalcitrant members
of his party are to be drawn or whip
ped into line. 1t is more likely that
his intervention-should it be attempt
ed-will still further strain relations
and possibly bring a wider breach in
the ranks than that now apparent.