New-York tribune., 1908-12-11
DIR. TAFT ANNOUNCES HIS
BELIEF.
Bases Confidence on Interviews 1ritb
Speaker Cannon and Uays and
Means Committee Men.
rFrou ne rrfo'1ne B1resu. ]


port OF the conference The Prssident-eieee
. told the Speaker that the various reports % tns
effect that ne pUrposed % contest 1Ir Cann1ns
reelection as Speaker were wholly without toun-
dation Ne said. further that he had no nten-
ton OF taking part in the effort 70 amend ths
House rules. Both Of these steps. he said. rs
recognized as wholly without his prerogatives-
bers Of the House
Mr.. Taft. however IN tire most good natured
way said that Of course. the Constitution placed
the President the respouSihility OF approving
, or rejecting measures passed by Congress, and
that If any one supposed he would repeat the
bIunder made by President Cleveland when hs
permitted tariff bill which he regarded as per
1diOUs and dishonorable" 10 become 4 Law they
were sadly mistaken He realized 20 the full tbs
responsibility resting the President and
would not hesitate for an instant veto any
measure which fell short Of carrying OUT the
full the pledge of the Republican platform Mr.
Taft said that he might even add that while ~
would veto such bill he must confess that
were he to. see a tariff bill headed his way
which he feared lie might have 70 veto. he would
not hesitate 70 appeal to every member OF Con
zress with whom he had the slightest influences
10 save him from the painful necessity OF killing
the measure Finally. Mr. Taft intimated that
there was just little bit II tirnidfty his
position. which. we're he 70 a tariff bin
which he would be compelled 70 veto getting
close 10 him. would make il impossible for him
to restrain the inclination shout for help. and
that if he began shouting he would probably
shout so loud that from his vantage point in the
White House the entire American people would
hear him
He said however. that he very surs
the Speaker had been shanefully abused in the
press. that all the reports about his being re-
actfonary" and 'stand-patter'' were base ubels.
and that he, indeed. felt certain that Mr. Cannon
was too shrevd n judge OF popular sentiment,
well too true and loyal a Republican. 10
permit any measure to start for the White HouSs
which would call for A veto He appreciated 70
the full the Speakers action in seeking him. and
he recognized in it a breadth Of vision and =
perspieacity which he could not but accept
/ evidence Of the Speakers unqualified detsrnf-
nation TO promote harmony in the party ranks
by insisting on an honest and square tariff re-
vision ana BY the enactment Of such other legis-
lation as he tNIr- Taftl. >5he Speaker and other
progressive Republicans deemed for the best in
terests Of the nation and the party
When Nr. Taft had thus outlined his views
Mr. Cannon promptly proceeded O. demonstrate
the ACCURACY of his discerr-ent by predicting
copy Of The Illinois State platform. which had
been dictated by I1r Cannon. and which advo-
Gated tariff revision in terms even stronger than
those contained in the national platform T'4
conference from that point on was a perfect
love feast. each statesman c0mplfmenting the
other for his sagacity and discernment- II vas
then decided To- heed the wishes OF Chairman
Payne and arrange for a meeting to-day between
the Presidant-eIeCt and tre Republican mem
bers Of the WAYS and Means COMMITTEES. at
which there would be ample opportunity 70 o.
serve the complete harmony which existed BE-
tween the future President and r1e leaders ot
the party in TIE House
Mr. TAFTs STATEMENT
The meeting was held this afternoon with a
dove Of peace lowering gracefully over tEs chair
Of every man present After the meeting rhe
Preziderc-eIecr gave OUT the following state
ment-
had an Interview with Mr Cannon yester-
Gav and with his concurrence and az the sug-
zasrf0u OF a member OF the Ways and Means
Committee. with the Republican members q that
committee this afternoon ana rom my con'e--
sarion with them and the discussion which fol-
now conducting and expect % condic1 naFe
every reason % be confident that they are keen
" alive 20 the obligation which : on them as
Representatives elected 20 represent the Repuo-
Ticau party 70 prepare an honest and thorough
revision - the present tariff thar they have
taken three times as much evidence has
a,-ar 1eeu taken in the preparation q other
tariffs and -h7t thew are going p make add
+fo~.aI afforr and independent effort 20 get az
the evidence themselves by the use OF subpoena
and under oath. with view 70 reaching the dit-
fararces in the cost of production 0f the various
abroad.
I found them quite anxious for as much har-
-ucnv as pOSSi BILE. in which SyupathiZed with
them. and prepared for consultation on points
of difficulty that might arise A. any time n
the future. The plan IS Co prepare A bill on
such evidence as they have and viii have IN
the course Of the hearings and then 10 Calk
additional evidence as 20 the items whenever II
should seem necessary
Not only from conversation with the members
torrrhar but with the members Individually I
am quite convinced that they are IN good faith
going 20 prepare "a bill which VIII ne thorough
revision in accordance with the platform OF the
Republican party
Philippine tariff. and I am very hopeful that
rrere. viii be no difficulty in reaching agree
mont between the various people interested N
nom those reIlrasenting the Philippine Islands
and those rerrese1ting the sugar and the to-
J,.rt-o interests that there VIII be no dispute.
aT,7 that the matter may be- Incorporated IN the
new tariff bU without an issue
Mr. Taft said ne had not yer consulted mem
hers Of the senate ON the subject. indicating at
+l,e same time the tremendous pressure on him
since he has been in Washington as the reason
When the suggestion was made that the senate
,you1d have something 70 do With the tariff bill
after the House had passed IL. he replied that
there was some one else who also would have
something 90 do with the bill
That Mr. Taft sees a possibility that The extra
session of Congress 70 revise the tari1 may last
all summer was shown to-day. when he DE-
clfned 20 accept an invitation 20 attend The ses-
sion Of the Transu1iSsissippi Congress IN Denver
August Is to y. The invitation vas extended
fv the executive committee Of the congress AZ
the horne of Thomas ? Walsh. The aAlress
was delivered by Isaac T. Prior. % Texas chair
man of the executive committee
II YOU viii come said MI Prior we VII