New-York tribune., 1907-08-20
SECRETARY TAFT'S SPEECH.

Secretary Taft's speech yesterday at Colum-
bus will attract wide attention because IN IL
he frankly outlines the platform on which ne IS
TO stand as a candidate for the Republican
Presidential nomination There has been some
talk in quarters hostile to the administrator
of the desirablity OF Mr.. Tafts showing MS
ability to act and think for himself by ex-
pressing some diSsent-mOre or less marked
from what are characterized as the Roosevelt
policies If would have vastly pleased not
few critics who themselves hesitate TO attack
those policies openly TO find candidate lor
the Presidential succession dwelling upon THEM
slightingly or seeking to avoid an assoclauOn
with them as imprudent and dangerous but
on what such hopes could have been fohnded
in Secretary Tafts case we cannot easily lnas-
inc He has shown himself throughout his
whole political career d sincere open mlnued
and conscientious statesman; and it was almost
uncomfortable that he should stultify himself
Yesterday at Columbus by repudiat1ng poiicleS
which he had earnestly supported as memDer
of President Roosevelt's Cabinet and Win
which be had never given the falntest sign OF
public or private disagreement why snouiu
Secretary Taft grow cold toward the hOoSe-
welt programme? He not only still has falth
in II himself as an intelligent and progressive
partv leader, but he knows further as prac-
teal student Of politics that huge majority
of the voters in the party anu III Lhe HdIl0i4 'iO
have faith in It
The Secretary's speech makes it clear TO all
who NAV have entertained doubts about 1t that
he has not changed his views and has no de-
sire to change them. He accepts and deIehuS
the ideas and measures which have given dls-
tinctiye character to the Roosevelt admins
tration. He thoroughly approves of the rate
regulation law and wants to see the poIlcy OF
regulation carried completely into effect rs
lie md f0TAS
Mr.. Bryan's demand for ultimate government
ownership and operation of the railroads He
-vould have the Hepburn law strengthened III
the interest of the railroads and the public and
especially would have the Interstate Commerce
Commission clothed with supervision over ran
road Capitalization so that investors would be
protected against trickery and the unloading
of stock at fictitious values. He concurs Win
the President in the latter's programme OF trust
regulation and of appealing 10 the courts 10
punish combinations of capital exercising
TnonopoIstic powers and sitting free competi-
tion. He believes that the federal government
if II actually needed the revenue, would be
justified IN levying a graduated inheritance taX
and attempting to collect an income tax, ana
dissents entirely from the proposition that such
legislation would be revolutionary or socialistc.
After discussing these subjects he says:
have thus reviewed at great length what
have properly come TO be known as PRESIDENT
FooseveIt's rOlicies and have discussed theIll
with yynat I hone you viii think Is entire can
dor I have attempted TO point out one or tWo
Instances in which I would qualify details ~
rutI1re DoIicies which he has sketched. but with
these minor exceptions as TO method am %lald
to express my complete thorough ana sincere
sympathy with and admiration for the great
conserving and conservative movement Waial
he has with wonderful success Initiated ana cA.-
ried so far against bitter opposition u reII1e-E
he evils of our prosperity and to preserve 20 US
the institutions we have inherited from our
fathers.
Mr.. Taft's aim is that of the rational states
man-to improve wi lhout violence and TO
readiust without destroying. This aim lie ex-
hibits. TOO. in what he has to say about tariI
revision. He believes in the efficacy of the pro
lection principle. But he declares, as Inc
Tribune has repeatedly declared. that the Ding
lev tariff act has outlived the conditions which
gave II birth and that common sense requires
revision which will bring the schedules Into
better accord with new conditions in commerce
and industry He favOrs, as we strongly favor.
declaration in the next Republican national
platform pledging revision or the nriH as
..soon after the next Presidential election as
..nossible" Such a declaration would serve as
a timely notice to the manufacturing interests
and would satisfy the country that the revision
to he made would be one dictated only by a
desire to apply the protective principle intelll-
gently. effectively and in the interest not of a
snecial class but of the whole nation
Secretary Taft's programme is. as we have
said frank and unequivOcal. 1t is also care
Pullv rounded and well balanced. 1t will ap-
peal we think, to the party and the country
because it represents in the main the political
tendencies of the day and reflects the well
grounded wishes Of great majority of the
people.