Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-08-24
WHERE TAFT STANDS
Secretary Gives His Views on
National Issues.
MAKES SPEECH At COLUMBUS, 0.
Ne DenOunces Railroad Abuses and
Wicked Trusts-Praizes President
Roosevelt and FxVOrs RevI-
sion Of TariG In 1909.

Roosevelt and FSNors RcNA-
sion OF Tariff In 1909.
COLUMBUS. O.. Aug. 2O.-Secretary
of War William II. Taft. speaking be-
fore the Buckeye Republican club.
made the long awaited announcement
OF his views on the political issues now
confronting the nation. This speech is
regarded as the opening gun OF Mr..
Tafts campaign FOR the presidential
nomination.
Secretary Taft said IN part
''The present is period of tho great
est prosperity. general comfort and
even luxury. Throughout this country
the demand FOR labor has increased
wages TO a higher point than ever
known before. The compensation Of
skilled labor now frequently exceeds
that OF certain professions ike teach
Ing and the ministry Wealth has &C
cumulated enormously I'm the hands Of
individuals. and never before have rich
men given So freely Of their fortunes
10 educational and charitable objects.
such conditions are apt 10 dim and
dull the eye and ear OF the people to
abuses and dishonesty in the body
in the history 81 ancient republics
when their foundations were sapped
aud their fall ultimately brought
about. Prophets Of evil have toretold
the same fate for this republic. They
have been refuted. In spite ~ the gem
eral comfort. there have been made
manifest 10y signs not 20 be misunder-
stood a Quickening Of the public con
science and q demand FOR the remedy
OF abuses the outgrowth OF this pros
perity and for higher standard Of
business Integrity. Every lover ~ his
country should have 3 feeling OF pride
and exaltation in this evidence that
our society is still sound az the core"
On the tariff Secretary Taft said:
The present business system Of the
country rests on the protective tariff.
and any attempt to change II 70 a free
trade basis viii certainly lead only 20
disaster.
1t f. the duty OF the Republican par
", however. TO sec TO II that the turin
on imported articles does not exceed
substantially the reasonably perma-
nent dinerenuol between the cost Of
production I'm The foreign countries and
That Ia the United States. and there
fore when changes take place in the
conditions of production likely 60 pro
duce very large reduction ia the cost
OF production in the United States II is
time that schedules be re-exsmincd
and II excessive that they be reduced "
Whenever the tarin imposed IS
largely I'm excess OF tho difrerentisl be
tween the cost Of production In the two
countries then there s. formed ~ once
Il great temptation 70 monopollze the
business OF producing the particular
product and 10 take advantage OF profit
In the excessive tariff. This denies To
the people altogether the economies of
production that competition under "a
protective tariff should develop.
Il had occasion in a speech which I
delivered az Bath. Me-. now about a
wear ago TO express my Individual opin-
ion as I'm favor Of an immediate revi-
sion OF the tariff. but I there pointed
out, and ] only refer TO II 10 repeat Il
and emphasize Il, that the revision Of
tariff involves so many different In
terests the country over az that II
could not Ice undertaken successfully
by the Republican party and therefore
ought not To be undertaken az all until
the party as a whole r. In favor OF it.
l ventured 10 express the opinion that
the sentiment In favor OF n revision in
the Republican party vas crystallizing
10 such point that in : short time we
might expect 90 have action upon the
subject What has happened in the
last year has only served 10 confirm
the view then expressed. and ii now
seems 10 me that even most OF the OK
tremists in the matter 81 the tariff are
of opinion that IL would be not only
unwise, but unsafe. for the party 10
fail IN its next national platform 10
pledge itself 90 a revision OF the tariff
IA soon after the next presidential
election as possible"