Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-09-04
GREAT INTEREST IN TAFT'S POSITION ON REVISION

Especial Washington Correspondence of
The Argus)
Secretary Taft is making his way TO
the Pacific coast with much delibera-
ton and n multitude of speeches. Thus
far his speeches made in Columbus,
o.; Lexington, KY, and Oklahoma
have defined his position on few points
of comparative political novelty. In
the main he has cOntented himself
with eulOgy of Roosevelt and with I'M
finching applause of the presidents
policies. Yet at one point he broke
he mildly opposed the presidents plan
for federal licenses of corporations.
But perhaps the greatest political IN
terest has conferred upon Mr.. Tafts
position on the tariff issue. The politi-
cal world knows that he is antagonized
by the American Protective league on
the theory that he is revisiOnist. He
referred to himself in his Columbus
speech as one of that body. Yet, con-
tinuing, he threw a sop to that element
in the Republican party from which 1t
gets Its campaign funds by saying that
there should be no revision until after
election. This has always been the
position of the Republican party. 1t
was specifically so in 1902, just before
the congressional elections, but while
there have been three such elections
and one presidential election the
tariff has. been in no way touched,
though that party has had absolute
control of the government since. If
there be no way to judge the future
except by the past the people may well
believe that promises for reform after
the election merely indicate fOrgetful-
ness when that moment arrives. If 1t
is worth while to revise the tariff and
if it must, as Secretary Taft thinks,
entail a temporary disturbance in bust
ness. why not do it in the coming Six
tieth congress and let that possible
effect coincide with the usual business
depression that attends q presidential
campaign?
Foraker's Response to the Challenge.
1t is not necessary to agree with
| Senator FOraker's views in order TO
have an admiration for the man. He
| is tied neck and crop to corporation
| interests. He seems to believe with
sincerity that what is done for the
wealth of the country, however much
concentrated that wealth may he,
makes for the good of the whole peo-
| pie. He serves the railroads. the trusts
and the protected monopolies earnest
| " and ITnl Nnt hn Is a ,,11jhil a p
nor a straddler. What lie believes he
| says, and as he believes he votes. 1t
| took courage for him to be the one Re
publican to vote against the Roosevelt
rate bill. Some bravery, too. was de
manded when he took up the Browns
willie Investigation. 1t is easy to say
sneeringly that he had in mind some
10000 negro voters i'll Ohio and the
enormous power of the southern negro
in carrying delegations to the next ma
tiOnal convention. Nevertheless in this
particular year of political poltroonery
when practically every Republican
senator or representative you meet
here in Washington will denounce
Roosevelt personally and officially
then ''crook the pregnant hinges of the
knee where thrift may follow fawn
ing" his manly stand is like q COO
breeze on sultry day.
This is the way the Ohio senator
meets the Taft equivocation on the re
Vision question. First declaring that
he does not believe revision necessary
lat all and that SO far as he is con
lcerned he would not promise it either
before or after the presidential cleo
ton. he goes on to plead that the Re
publican party shall express its pur
pose In plain terms. Let the people
lspeak," he says. and then we car
learn what they want. They will have {