The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-07-23
TAFT'S DECREE
STIRS SOLONS
EclipseS In Interest All De-
tails Of Tariff Struggle.
"STANDPATTERS' AMAZED

Many Take the Presidents Statement
That the Sentiment of the People De-
manded "Revision Downward" as .
Barely Concealed Threat That He
Will Veto the Tariff Bill if Platform
Pledges Are Not Carried Out by
the Congress.
President Taft's emphatic declara-
ton that he regarded the sentiment
of the whcie people as demanding re
vision downward" eclipsed in interest
all miner and specific details OF the
tariff struggle.
The statement, issued after a delega-
ton of congressman had appealed to
the president for the maintenance OF
protection on raw materials, particu-
larly iron ore, wool, hides, oil and lum-
Der, purported to be an outline report
of the discussion which took place dur
ing the visit of the delegation and es-
pecially of what the president said to
the visitors; but the emphatic remarks
and the fact that such statement was
issued at all made it clear to every
body that the president intended it
virtually as an ultimatum.
Predict Standpatter Revolt.
Many read in the statement bare
ly concealed threat ON the part of the
president that if the bill reached him
in the form which he regarded as un-
faithful to the promises of his party
and disobedient to the sentiment of
the mass of the people he would veto
it,
Few of the prominent members of
either house of congress would dis
cuss the statement for publication but
in confidence many talked freely, and
some of the conservatives very bitter
ly. Several said the presidents stand
meant the defeat of the bill.
Nov the standpatters will become
the insurgents" said one, "the lines
will all have to be reformed and no.
body can forecast the outcome"
Some Expect Reduced Rates.
Those less excitable inclined to the
made a long-foreseen move essential
to the logic of the game and that it
would mean the speedy dissolution of
the opposition to downward revision
and the termination of the long fight,
with the bill at last in the presidents
hands substantially as he has all
along desired and intended it should
be.
To many observers the situation
takes this shape: That the delegation
which called on the president brought
to him first what they more or less
frankly stated as an appeal for their
political lives, and, second, as the de-
mand of their localities respectively:
that the president met these local and
individual appeals with what he felt to
be the broader demand of the nation
as whole, declared that every one
of the schedules involved was to be
considered in the light of the evidence
relating to each and that for himself
he intended to seek and to be guided
by that evidence.
Taft Acts at PsychicaI Time.
Increasingly the White House state.
ment is regarded as in some sort an
informal message to congress at a
critical juncture such as Mr.. Roose-
welt often chose for many of his direct.
ly addressed messages. 1t is conceded
even by the most bitter of the opposi-
ton that by his attitude thus far of
Hands off," Mr.. Taft has attained a
position of enviable independence, and
has chosen an advantageous moment
to present his views, not only to the
people but to those who are in a posi-
ton to act decisively on the subject.
The general feeling is that the pres
idents pronouncement will inevitably
have profound effect on the confer
ence committee, on the time inter-
vening before the final vote in the two
houses of congress, on those represent
ing both wings, especially of the Re-
publican majority, whose official ac-
ton now, and whose political future
after they go home, is so deeply in
vOlved.