The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-07-17
TAFT DEMANDS
PLEDGES Be KEPT
Tells Republicans That Party Must
Work for Downward Revision OF
Tariff Rates.

WASHINGTON. July lin Il
statement issued at the White House
yesterday afternoon giving his version
OF the interview with the % congress-
man who called upon him To protest
against free raw material In the tarif
bill. President Taft again reiterated
his stand for downward revision ara
said the responsibility rests upon the
entire Republican party
After saying that Rep. Young, OF
Michigan. opposed free ore, and Mon
dell. of Wyoming, free coal or reci'
procity with Canada, and free hides,
the president said discussion was
participated In by the representatives.
who urged that the doctrine of free
raw materials was not Republican
doctrine
The president replied" the state
ment continues, that he was not com
nlitted To the principle of free raw
material. but that he was committed
to the principle OF downward revis-
ION OF the tariff. which he had promis-
ed. and that he was obliged TO look at
the matter. not from the standpoint OF
any particular district. but from the
standpoint OF the whole country, and
also from the standpoint OF RESPONSE
bility for the entire Republican party.
He said the question in each case
was question of fact to be determ
ined by evidence as To whether the
present duty was needed for protcc-
ton. or whether the rate was exccs-
sive, SO that a downward revision. or
putting the article on the free list
would not injure the industry. He re-
adj ba MIA nf RAnn
party and said he had always under
TODD that it meant a downward re-
Vision in many instances, though per
haps. in some few instances an in
crease might be needed: that he reach
ed this construction of the platform
on what he understood TO be the prin
ciple of protection and its Justification.
namely. that after an industry was
protected by a duty equal TO the diff
ference of cost OF production abroad
and the cost of production in this coun.
try including fair profit TO the man
ufacturers the energy and enterprise
OF American business men and capital
lists, the effectiveness OF American la
Dor and the ingenuity OF American in
ventors. under the impulse of compe-
tition behind the tariff wall. would re-
with the reduction of the cost OF pro-
duction the tariff rate would be-
come unnecessarily high and ought 10
be reduced. This was the normal
operation OF the tariff as claimed by
the defenders of the protective system
not In every case, but as a general
rule--that. OF course, revision OF the
tariff could not be perfect, must have
Iafanta and fn0op al q fauciaS huf inQO-
far IS his influence went when calleI
upon to act on the legislation 1t would
be thrown in the direction OF perform
ing the promises of the party as he
understood them: and that IL iron ore
and oil. and coal and hides did not
need protection. and that the condi-
lions were such as TO enable the ore
producers and the oil producers and
the coal producers and the producers
OF hides to compete successfully. with.
out reduction of wages, with the pro-
ducers from abroad, then they did not
need duty and their articles should
20 on the free list.
1T was a question of fact which ne
hoped TO make up his mind with re-
spect to in order to carry out what
he understood to be the promises OF
the party to The whole people. He
said he felt that his position as the
titular head OF the Republican party
and as president. with the whole peo-
pie "a mis- constituency gave him
somewhat broader point of view than
that of a single member OF congress in
respect to articles produced in his dis
trict
HE felt strongly the call OF the
country for a downward revision with
In the limitations of the protective sys-
tenn and he hoped to be able te re-
spond to that call as he heard it, as
we'll as in the interest of the party
as OF the country
x,,ipduill ouccogcf,t1lv drivDz q