OCR Text |
Show PROTECTIONIST DEMOCRATS. In opposition to tho wild talk of ripping the tariff wide open, which is indulged in by Champ lark, Colonel Bryan, and some other Democrats, thero is usually set off, very properly, proper-ly, the declaration of Pre3ident-eloct Wilson that ho is not in favor of drastic measures, nor of any programme that will be an affliction to business. This declaration of tho President-elect has been tho reliance of business, and will bo its support if Mr. Wilson can succoed in repressing tho activity of the radicals in his own party. In the meantime, however, it appears ap-pears that the conservative and protectionist pro-tectionist Domocrats, of which there are a number in both Houses of- Congress, Con-gress, propose to make their influence felt by -way of moderation and cautious cau-tious procedure. They aro roported to bo planning a sort of tariff league, or combination, in Congress, with the object of preventing any drastic reduction re-duction of rates of duties. The Democratic Demo-cratic Congressmen from New England Eng-land have declared themselves as absolutely ab-solutely opposed to any tariff "rip-" ping," and thoy will naturally bo a strong factor in tho tariff league proposed pro-posed in both brnnchos of Congress. The people of this country had rca-' son to expect some such mov'o aa this, because there arc large numbers of Democrats from tho mining and other Western State:? whose constituencies would be much distressed -if tho tAriff on lead, zinc, wool, and sugar, (this latter lat-ter omitted by many speakers) were destroyed. It is not likely 'that those Democrats would stand for such reductions re-ductions as would afflict the Voters who elected them to Congress. Their position in opposition to such - "ripping" "rip-ping" is entirely natural. First, they would, not wish to betray the interests inter-ests of their constituents; .and soc-ond", soc-ond", they would not wish to soo the prostration of business in their districts dis-tricts that such tariff- ripping would inflict. , The combination referred to 15 supposed sup-posed to cover the tariff on lead on zinc, on sugar, and on wool so far as the interests of tho wool growers of this westorn country arc concerned. 'Clio conservative element of the United Uni-ted States generally will bo glad to see. this mo'vo of the conservative Democrats, Dem-ocrats, becunso thoy are by no means in sympathy with the radical propo sition to destroy business in order that an immediate and theoretical political proposition may be vindicated. Tho-nrgumont of tho radicals is that although tholr programme might un-sottlo un-sottlo business for a time, soon everything every-thing would readjust itself, and that a greater, nltimato prosperity would follow under their low tariff schedules' sched-ules' than haR ever attended tho protectionist pro-tectionist schodulcs. This, howovor, is a mere theory; Rnd tho indications are that noithor tho President-elect nor tho protectionist Domocrats aro willing to try that exporimont. |