Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-02
Politics at Large
By C. Could Lincoln,

bill has q political uaVOr which al
most overwhelms the economic aspect
of this latest battle between the Chief
Executive on the one hand and q coali-
ton of Democrats ard insurgent Re-
publicans on the other. This coalition
has much the same membership as the
coalition which forced through the
Senate the debenture amendment to the
farm relief bill, which became O law
without that amendment.
In the night over the tariff bill. the
Democrats have definitely undertaken
to make the protective tariff advocated
by the Republicans their principal issue
In the next congressional Campaign.
Not little will depend upon the final
form of the tariff bill, If and when 1t
becomes q law. So far the country
has been interested as q whole very little
in the tariff. Should the bill result in
increased prices for necessary COM
modities, then the voters are likely to
take a decided interest in the whole
question. That Is usually the way these
affairs work out. Politics Is matter
often of the pocketbook. It swings this
way or that according to how fat or
how lean the pocketbook of the aver
age citizen may be. II the pocketbook
becomes lean under a Republican adj
ministration, the G. o. p. Is likely to
find itself on the outside looking in, with
the Democrats in control in Washington.
This provided, of course, that the Demo-
Gratis do not split too widely over other
issues among themselves.
X X
The flexible tariff provisions of the
bill, which are similar to those in the
existing law, in that they permit the
President to raise or lower by so per
cent the rates on commodity imported
into this country, after an investigation
and report shall have been made by
the United States Tariff Board. may
be found of great political value to the
Republican party in the event the rates
written into the new law prove unpop-
ular. The President, If 1t is shown that
new rates are excessive and causing an
undue increase In prices paid in the
American market by domestic consum-
ers, has 1t in his power to act-after,
of course, the Tariff Commission shall
have reported. The Tariff Commission
requires time, it Is true, to make an
investigation and report to the Presi-
dent. But the chances are that action
could be had on the tariff more quickly
by far than by throwing the matter
again into Congress. Or. If an American
industry employing a large number of
men and women was suffering because
Of foreign competition, the President
would be In a position to give relief by
an increase Of duties.
The Democrats turn their faces
against the Republican tariff as natu-
rally as the sunflower turns toward the
sun. No one expects the Democrats In
Congress to do otherwise. That is the
function Of a minority party-to oppose
legislation sponsored by the administra-
ton. It may be recalled that some of
the Democrats sought to out-Mellon
Mellon in reducing taxes when the tax
bill was before Congress But that was
merely another avenue Of disagreeing
with the administration. Perhaps some
day the Democrats may seek to go the
Republicans one better by demanding
even higher tariff duties than those
provided in a Republican tariff law. It
Is quite true now that there are indi-
vidual democrats who demand higher
rates on certain commodities than the
Republicans have provided. The Dem.
ocrats are seeking to make political
capital today against the Hoover admin
istration.
The Republicans who are opposing
the President in the matter Of the
flexible tarid-many Of them, not all
are opposed to Mr.. Hoover politically
as strongly as are the Democrats,
them were opposed to President Cool
idge and his administration. They
represent a disconnected wing Of the
party. When the day arrives that they
carry this discomfort to the extent OF
voting against the party leadership
in national and congressional elections
as Senator Norris Of Nebraska did
in the last election-the Republicans
will have a tumble, IN all probability.
Gratis fervently hope. It Is for that
reason that they. the Democrats, are
willing to help thrust a wedge into
the Republican ranks in Congress
whenever they have the opportunity.
They tried similar tactics against the
Coolidge administration.
But they got nowhere in the 1924
the same tactics now-not, however,
without receiving many warnings they
may gain nothing in the end, because
the Republican insurgents do not love
the Democrats any more than they do
the Republican administration.
This night over the flexible provi-
sions Of the tariff, which the Presi-
dent has entered through his public
statement urging their retention In the
vote may be 80 close that, perhaps.
Vice President Curtis will be called
upon to cast q deciding vote. II the
coalition wins, the President still has
the House to rely upon in this con-
test. The House backed him strongly
in the farm relief bill contest with the |
coalition In the Senate.
X X X X
It Is conceivable that the row over |
the tariff bill should become so heated |
that the legislation may fail entire
ly. either through the inability OF |
Congress to agree on a measure. or |
through presidential veto. 1t is more |
likely, however, to result in compro- |
mise. There are too many legislators |
whose constituents are interested In |
having the tariff law revised. The |
principal argument advanced by West |
ern Republicans for q revision Of the |
tariff at this time was that the farm |
ers should be granted higher duties
on their produce. The pending bill
has given the farmers many such 1c in. IN.
them still greater benefits. Even q |
Republican insurgent from the West
may have dificulty explaining to his |
farmer constituents why he aided IN
bringing about the failure of the bill. |
Already there are signs that in indus |
trial sections Of the country the DEM |
ocrats are not gaining favor even IN !
their own party by opposing the m
creases granted for the benefit OF IN |
dustry.
y X X X
They are voting down today, down In |
the fifth congressional district IN |
Georgia, to elect a successor to the late |
Representative Leslie Steele. In 0
measure the election fight Is due to the |