Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1907-06-13
PRESIDENTIAL PROSPECTS OF
THE OHIO MAN.
He Is Greatly Admired as Citizens
Jurist and Statesman, But Lead
ing Protectionists Question
Whether He Is Sufficient
iy Sound in Their
Economic Faith.

States. fully Il months pllCF W tnc
assembling of the national convention
Mr. Taft comes out in the open as
seeker after this great distinction.
With almost equal openness the
declaration is made that he is the
administration candidate"
In a recent issue of the Morning
Call of Paterson appears a significant
letter from one OF the foremost citi-
zens of New Jersey, Col William Bar
bour, chairman of the executive com
mittee of the American Protective
Tariff League, as follows:
New York, April 30, 1907-To the
Editor of the Call: In last Saturdays
Call, under the heading, Taft Boom
in the State you printed an article
that would lead the reader to sup
pose that Secretary Taft was the
choice OF the Republican party in New
Jersey 10 succeed President ROose-
velt
Having had the privilege Of rep
resenting the Sixth district at so
many national conventions. may I say
for myself, and ON behalf of the many
friends | have consulted, that when
the time comes to nominate the next
president, who will undoubtedly be
named by the Republican party, the
state of New Jersey can select a bet
ter protectionist to occupy the White
House than Mr. Taft?
"If We are to continue to enjoy the
prosperous times to which we are
entitled so long as our country is
blessed with bountiful crops, the tar
if must be let alone, and Mr. Taft
must speak out on this great question,
as Mckinley did and Vice President
Fairbanks has, before visiting con-
gressmen can hope to make many
friends for Mr.. Taft in the great man
ufacturng state of New Jersey. Very
truly yours,
"WILLIAM BARBOUR"
When Col. Barbour thus early raises
the question whether Judge Taft is
good enough protectionist to com
mand the support Of a great industrial
state like New Jersey, it is an evi-
dence that the time has arrived when
the Taft candidacy must be taken seri-
ously. Only a few days previous to
the publication of the Barbour letter
Hon. Theodore +. Burton. represen-
tative in congress from Ohio. paid a
visit to New Jersey. The object Of
this visit was clearly revealed in a
speech before a New Jersey audience
appealing for New Jerseys undivided
support of the Taft candidacy. As
Col. Barbour has a rather larger in
terest in New Jersey affairs than the
Ohio congressman can possibly have,
and as the moment for plain speaking
had plainly arrived, it seems both
natural and proper that a protest
should be filed against the unripe as
sumption that New Jersey was go
ing to be solid for an Ohio aspirant
Col. Barbour questions whether so
doubtful protectiOnist as Judge Taft
can command the solid support of the
New Jersey delegation in next years
Republican national convention. Many
protectionists have similar doubts as
to the delegations from other states
1t is believed that even in Ohio, Mr.
Taft's own state, there are many such
rrotectionists.
This opposition to the Taft can
didacy is based upon no feeling of i'll
will toward the man himself. Far
from it. Secretary Taft is warmly
esteemed and greatly admired for his
splendid abilities as jurist and states
man. He is indeed a most lovable
sort Of man, albeit strong fighter
and a hard hitter. He fights in the
open, and what he says you can de-
pend on. But is lie protectionist?
Mr.. Taft's strenuous advocacy of
free trade in Philippine products COM
peting with the products of American
agriculture stamps him as a devoted
friend of the semi.servile and half
savage Filipino, but it does not make
him out protectionist.
Mr.. Taft's persistence in the matter
of purchasing in foreign markets
materials and supplies for the con-
struction of the Panama canal was
doubtless actuated by a desire to en-
force strict economy in the canal ex-
penditures, but 1t was a mistaken
economy-the economy of those who
urge that the right thing to do is to
buy everything in the cheapest mar
ket, and that a protective tariff that
gives the home market to home pro-
| duction and labor is morally wrong.
| The congress took issue with Secre-
tary Taft's economic views and or
dered him to spend American money
in American mills and factories.
Early in the campaign of 1906 Mr..
Taft made speech in Maine in which
he pronounced for immediate revision
| downward of the Dingley tariff.
Doubtless he honestly believed it to
be true when he said that Republican
sentiment demanded tariff revision
| without delay. But he was mistaken
in that belief; mistaken in supposing
| that the sentiment of the Boston
1rood of tariff rippers was the senti.
/ ment of the whole country. He was
! rpCalyino in Mama and NToina u,o-