Evening star., 1927-11-17
PRESIDENT OPENS
NEW FARM RIFT
Firm Stand Against Tariff
Change Brings "Stand-Pat"
Threat From Agriculture.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

nI ThEbENft WILLIAM W lie.
Another significant sign Of Calvin
CoolidSe'S choice not to run for
President in 1928 is seen In his opposi-
ton TO tariff reduction as a means of
afording farm relief The White
House announcement that Mr.. Cool
idge disapproyes the United States
Chamber Of Commences agricultural
commission report. in so far as 1t
recommends tariff revision down
ward. hits organized agriculture as
hard as the Presidents veto of the
McNary -Haugen bin struck 1t. For
the past four Years farm politicians
have been necessarily clam0ring Tor
reduction of tariff rates on necesSi-
ties which agriciitturaiSts must buy.
They have declared, in so many words,
that it's a case Of tariff reduction or
surplus legislation on McNary-Ifaugen
lines.
The inevitable result of the Coolidge
administration Standpat attitude on
the tariff viii be, rural statesmen as
sert, an equally stand-pat attitude on
their part. They will demand the al.
Tentative they have always put for
ward as their irreducihle minimum
In case the Fordney- -McCumber rates
are not slashed. That alternative is
protection" for the farmer in 4 non
tariT guiSe-namely, Government aid
In the disposal of surplus agricultural
produce.
Coolidge Still Favored.
It is a curious circumstance-whic
farm leaders confess themselves at Il
loss TO eXplaintnar WhIle the Presl-
dents faim-relef policy runs counter
to organized aericulture's longings
Mr.. Coolidge retains his stranclehold
on agrarian political sentiment The
R4 l..
Journal Of Philadelphia shows Cool
idge polling AZ per cent of the Repub-
lican farm vote and "a per cent of all
the .642 votes so far counted.
While the President was moppins
up a total of 1920 votes in all the
States-especially the 81 important
farm States-his nearest competitor.
Lowden, secured only ! .651. Coolidge's s
closest Democratic rival. al Smith.
polled about third as many votes
as the President $50. Hoover re-
ceived 1854, and Hughes trailed.
bad fourth, with 627 Borah, Norris,
Curtis, Dawes, Jim" Reed, Long
worth and other Western Republicans
with varying farm appeal scored
negligible totals.
The point Washington Republicans
make is that if President Coolidge
were definitely, or even suhtly, court |
AUS 1lc Npuitiu
chosen this hour for pouring cold |
water on the farmers tariff hopes. |
This would be Il time, as profession |
ais in politics view it. when Mr.. Cool |
idge would be conciliating. not offend |
ing, the bucolic brother. The Capital
camp, which likes to think the Presi- |
dent is not out of the race, shrank |
perceptibly following the White House |
tariff proclamation of November 15.
Other Candidates Fail.
This writer was buttonholed one day
this week by Republican national |
committeeman, who knows the mind |
of Calvin Coolidge as well as any man |
In the country ought to know it. He |
has now become firm believer in the |
theory that Coolidge will run next !
year because he must run" This |
shrewd politician, who from the out |
set advanced the view that the |
'choose" manifesto left the door open.
thus argues:
"The President did no more-and,
In my judgment. intended to do no
more-than express a preference not
to run, in order that other candidates
might have the fullest opportunity to
enter the race More than three
months have elapsed since Mr.. Cool
idge spoke his historic 10 words.
Thefe mas Deen ample opportunity lor |
sentiment in favor of other Republi- |
cans to crystallize. The Farm Jour |
nal poll is prima facie evidence that |
sentiment for other leaders has not |
taken shape. If it has not shaped |
during the past three months. it is /
not my opinion that it will material |
ize during the next six months.
1.-THE fundamentals of the situation |
In other words, are working steadily |
toward q denomination which the |
President will have difficulty in re- |
jecting The Republican party's for |
tunes will he at stake in 1925, in any |
event If Mr.. Coolidge or the party. |
or both, deliberately ignore the. ex-
pressed preferences and wishes of the
people for his denomination, they will
invite a danger that can lead to dis
aster. IntelIigently guided political
parties have no right to take such
risks
tCoDyright 1927