The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-09-08
TAFT ON THE TARIFF.
Great Political Interest In SeCre-
tarY's Position On Revision.
BRYAN'S INTERVIEWER ISSUES

OffcehoIders Ready to NuIlify Will o
People en- Oklahoma Constitution
Foraker's Stand Against the Admin
istration-Says Let the People SpeaI
For Themselves and Then LearT
What They Want-London Papers
View on Reid's Rising Dignity.
By WILLIS }. ABBOT.
Secretary Taft is making his way t
the Pacific coast with much delibera
ton and 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 un-
flinching applause of the president
policies. Yet at one point he broke
away, as in his Columbus speech. when
be mildly opposed the presidents plan
for federal licenses of corporations.
But perhaps the greatest political in
tereSt has conferred upon Mr.. JaftS
position on the tariff issue. The politi-
cal world knows that he is anita goniZed
by the American Protective league on
the theory that lie is Il revisionist. He
referred 10 himself in his Columbus
speech as one of that body. Yet. con
tinuing. he threw a sop to that element
i'll the Republican party from which it
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, bat 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. II
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 a 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 FOX. the man He
is tied neck and crop to corporation
interests. He seems TO believe with
sincerity that what is done for the
that wealth may be.
makes for the good of the whole peo-
pie. He serves the railroads, the trusts
aud the protected monopolies earnest
~ and well. Yet he is not a quibbler
nor a straddler. What he believes he
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
Vile investigation. 1t is easy to say
;neeringly that he had in mind some
10000 negro voters in Ohio and the
enormous power Of the southern negro
n carrying delegations to the next Id
fOnal convention. Nevertheless in this |
year of political poltroonery.
when practically every Republican |
senator or representative you meet |
lere in Washington will denounce
Roosevelt personally and officially. |
hen crook the pregnant hinges Of tie
lnee where thrift may follow fawn
n.y." lis manly stand is like a coo
'reeZe on sultry day.
This is the way the Ohio senate
meets the Taft equivOcation on the Re
'ision question. First declaring that
le does not believe revision necesSa.'.
It all and that so far as he IS con
erned he would not promise it either
'efore or after the presidential cleo
ion. he goes on to plead that the Re
ublican party shall express its pur-
ose in plain terms. "Let the people
peak he says. and then we can
earn what they want. They will have
nance in 1908. If they want revision
f the tariff they can give their com
lands, and their wish will be Obeyed.
This is the utterance Of frank and
pen man if not wise one Its weak
ess is that the people will probably
e given no chance to speak with def
iteness. The Democrats will undoubt-
dly put a demand for an immediate
eduction of the tariff into their plat
)rm. The Republicans will just as
declare for revision and at
.mpt to make it appear that the revi-
on will be downward and will be
ronptly undertaken after the election.
My by studying history and recognize
lg the fact that never yet has the Re-
nblican party reduced q tariff system
nd that during more than six years
absolute power it has steaGfastly
fused to carry out it's promises to re-
se the tariff can the people wisely
AXE up their minds That the tariff
sue Will be the greatest issue for the I
eople next year is probable A.r. Bry- I
4 places it first among his trinity Of
SueS-the tariff the trusts and tho