New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-07
THE PRESIDENTS TARIFF POLICY.

President Taft's statement of his reasons for
signing the Payne tariff bill ought to give pause
TO those who have been criticiSing him on the
ground that he had weakened in his advocacy Of
rational tariff revision. Only few critics have
been so narrow and ungenerous as to deny Mr.
Taft credit for a sincere and consistent effort to
make the new law comply with the pledges OF
the Republican platform, or TO ignore the notable
improvements in the measure due TO his con
SITUATIONS with the members of the committee of
conference In the Judgment of such extremists
the Presidents ideas and purposes were not to
be differentiated from those of the leaders in
Congress from whose Interpretation of party
obligations he emphatically dissented. Because
he approved a bill which he had bettered in
many respects but was not able 70 better in all.
il was held that he must accept the blame for
shortcomings in the measure due TO reactiOnary
influences in the legislative branch. AS The
New York Times put it the other day:
He 1.-THE PRESIDENT becomes responsible for
nea sure that breaks and betrays his campaign
pledges. It puts him before the people in the
attitude OF a President who has not had the
courage 10 make good his promises. As
il stands. he must share with the Senate
and the House the verdict OF reproach and con-
demnation which the people are certain TO pass
upon the revised tarin-
This criticism ignores the fact that the Presi-
dents tariff policy has not been in the least
altered by his approval of the Payne bill. lie
stands now. as he stood before. for more ra-
tional application of the protective principle, and
because the Payne law, in addition 10 its many
other good features, puts him in far better
position to carry out his programme he showed
practical wisdom in signing the measure. The
President is not TO be blamed because the re-
vision Of 1909 was not satisfactory in all re-
spects. He himself says frankly; The bill is
mot a perfect tariff bill complete compli
lance with the promises made, strictly inter-
'preted.' Probably 10 tariff bill has ever
strictly complied with the promises and purposes
OF the party enacting it, Yet il is no reproach
10 a practical statesman that he accepts a meas
ure in the main commendable, though here and
there falling short of his expectations If a sub
stantial gain is made and the way is opened for
further improvement no sacrifice of principle is
involved in welcoming the good and marking the
defects for future correction.
President Taft's candid recognition OF the
minor faults in the Payne law, due to a sur
vival in Congress of mistaken ideas and mis-
taken methods of tariff making. relieves him Of
any charge of having abandoned his progressive
tariff policy He 90 10 the country with
perfect consistency ds advocate of further
downward revision. Tariff systems cannot be
radically changed in a day ~ a year. and the
great majority OF the voters will be satisfied
sonableness and steady progress The President
is now equipped no other President has been
10 take the initiative in properly applying the
principle of protection. He holds with Senator
Aldrich that the Payne law authorizes him 20
appoint experts whose function il will be to as
certain the price AMI cost Of production of goods
both at home and abroad and TO furnish the
government trustworthy information on which
10 levy duties covering the difference between
the foreign and the domestic cost and allowing
in addition reasonable margin of profit 10 the
American producer. With such information at
hand the President can recommend changes in
rates which will be self-explanatOry Public
opinion would deter Representatives and Sena-
tors from trying 10 substitute for them higher
rates. based on the interested statements Of the
domestic producers. The President has there
fore already secured from Congress an authori-
Zation TO carry ont his revision ideas and 10 con
form the schedules TO a scientific system. He
has done great work for the cause of rational
customs taxation. The country. will gladly sup
port him in his intention to assist in completing
the process so well begun.