The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-07-09
TAFrs SERVICE TO ALbRIcH.
LaFollfete's Weekly,

President Taft has from the begin
ming OF his administration enjoyed
the good will of the nation. The peo-
pie generally, the press, and Con.
gress have been disposed to credit
him with high motives and unwilling
to criticise any public act unfairly
La Follette's shares this feeling
that has prevailed for Mr.. Taft and
no one would be more reluctant to
believe otherwise. But it would be
a betrayal of the work we have I'M
dertaken II we did not say that from
our point Of view the Presidents re-
cent message to Congress was In
opportune, and not in the public
interest.
At the beginning of the special
session which President Taft called
for the express purpose of consider
ing revision of the tariff in accord
ance with his pre-electi0n promise,
it would have been highly proper, and
we believe 1t was expected that he
would exercise his constitutional
prerogative and send message to
Congress that would deal fully with
the very important subject in hand,
would enlighten Congress and the
public as to his views, and as to the
kind of bill he could approve. No
greater opportunity for executive rec
ommendation ever could come to a
President. An expression Of his
views at that time respecting an in
come tax or corporation tax would
have carried great weight with Con-
gress and with the public.
That he did not send such a mes
sage can only be explained on the
ground that he believed Congress we'll
understood his attitude and that
there was no danger of their franz
ing law that he could not approve
either as to tariff schedules or as to
an income tax.
The bill that passed the house was
severely criticised throughout the
country. Some optimistic belief was
expressed that it would be improved
in the Senate. But 1t provided for an
tax and for some reduc-
ton OF duties on some of the neces-
saries OF life that have been rejected
by Mr.. Aldrich.
When the Aldrich bill was hur-.
riedly thrust upon the Senate 1t was
at first claimed by the Chairman and
other members Of the Committee that
there had been great reductions in
rates, revision downward. After a
analysis of the bill and ex
posture of how increases in certain
schedules were effected and after it
was established in the course Of the
debate beyond dispute that the
scheme was one of revision upward,
Mr. Aldrich and his allies made the
defense that the Republican platform
had not promised downward revision;
that the party was only pledged to
revision" This assumption caused
the public statements of Mr.. Taft on
the subject of revision, when he was
a candidate, to become an important
part of the debate.
fE
It would have been a great help to
the band of Progressives making a
fight In behalf of the public interest
and for the maintenance of party
pledges, had Mr.. Taft seen fit to send
a special message stating whether the
party pledges were in his Judgment
being fulfilled by increasing the tariff
rates or by re-enacting existing rates.
Because, be it remembered, the Pres
ident Is the one who has the final
word. His approval or his veto de-
cides whether the work of Congress
shall stand.
lhe progressive senators assumed
that he void ultimately support their
contention by such action as he deem
ed proper They accepted his silence.
not as evidence of want of sympathy
with their course, but as based on a
policy often attributed to him, of non
interference. The Progressives con
tinued their attack on the bill, meet
Ing defeat on each vote by about ten
over which Mr.. Aldrich
nplntained almost perfect command.