The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-06-11
Plank Written by War Secre.
tary for Ohio Platform VIII
Be Maintained
Maximum and Minimum System
Viii Be Urged Also on the
Convention
Pledge to Supervise Issue of
Railroad Securities Is Prom
ised Second Place
Rate Regulation Is Presidents
Plan to Balk Government
Ownership Advocates
By Raymond

CHICAGO, June 10.-It is not gen.
orally known that Secretary Taft per-
sonally wrote the tariff plank of the
Ohio republican platform 1t was
written out in his own hand and un-
doubtedly expressed his personal
views on the tariff question, except
that a paragraph or two at the end
were eliminated when the hnal draft
was submitted to the Ohio conven-
ton. For this reason particular sig
nifcance will be attached TO this es-
pecial declaration on the tariff ques-
ton. An attempt undoubtedly will be
made by the Taft men 10 put through
the Ohio plank with probably one or
two additions. making it stronger
rather than weaker
The text of this tariff declaration as
written BY me prospective candidate
himself, is as follows:
a revision of the tariff BY special
session of the next congress. insurlng
the maintenance of the true principle
of protection by imposing such duties
as viii equal the difference between
the cost OF production AT home and
abroad. together with a reasonable
prorit. 10 the end that. without excess
sive duties American manufacturers.
farmers. producers and wage earners
may have adequate protection
Around this particular the tarin night
in the coming convent1on-n there Is
a fght-will be wsged-
AGAINST STRADDLING WORDS
The Taft people, as is now generally
understood. will surely control a ma
ioritv OF the committee on resolutions
They will have not less than 80 votes
and their strength may go far beyond
that. They will stand out against any
attempt 10 weaken the declaration for
tariff revision or to insert into the
plank anything which looks like
dodge or a subterfuge-
For instance. the Taft forces Will
not look with favor upon an attempt
to interject into the plank the strad-
ding words at least" so as to make
il read t&at the duties TO be imposed
should at least equal the difference
between the cost OF production az nome
and abroad" leaving the inference. as
the republican platform adopted here
in Chicago four years ago gave the
Impression that the party would be
at liberty 70 put on any rate OF duty.
no matter how high. provided the
minimum of the difference in cost Of
production at home and abroad were
maintained
AS have Just said, the Taft forces
will consent TO additions intended 10
strengthen the original declaration.
For instance, the platform TO De
brought here tomorrow by Wade Ellis
probably will contain declaration for
the maximum and minimum system
This will be coupled with the pledge
for tariff revision. and the platform
will outline the belief OF the party that
a maximum and minimum tariff IS the
ideal and the scientific system Of reci-
procity, by means Of which discrimina-
tion by any foreign nation can be in
stantly prevented through the threat
of the imposition of our own high rate
of duty.
STAND PATTERs MAY STRUGGLE
This maximum and minimum tarif
is entirely acceptable to the stand
matters" 1t was declared for in the
Illinois platform, which was written
by Representative Boutell. and which
was given the official o. K. OF Speaker
Cannon and Chairman Payne OF the
ways and means committee before it
was submitted to the convention There
is no fight on this section Of the tariff
plank and 1t may be considered as
adopted.
The only struggle to be anticipated
Some of the stand patters want to
modify It. so as to leave congress en-
tirely AT liberty to fix rates beyond the
difference in. the cost OF production IL
it seems necessary to encourage some
particular infant industry
Secretary Taft is protectionist from
the ground up but he does not believe
IN the imposition OF single duty
which would tend TO create monopoly.
as in the case Of the steel trust. or
which would give a manufacturer any
thing more than a fair profit on his
product. with high wages to American
worxingmen The secretarys close
friends in the convention are well
aware of his views. and they win hght
every attempt to interject a straddle
into the tariff plank
One of the things which is expected
10 develop a lively fight. possibly much
more bitter than that over the tariff
plank. will be in the proposed declara-
fion OF the intention of the republican
partv to prevent the issuance OF Sc
curities by interstate railroads except
under federal supervision The tenta-
tive platform as now drafted does not
attempt in any way TO describe the ex-
act means BY which this result is to be
achieved, but it does pledge the party
10 make an attempt 10 confer upon the
Interstate commerce commission tia