The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-07-17

GU2I uC 40A 0AW0y0 uA0SA0SOON sAAsSS
1t meant downward revision in many
Instances, though perhaps, in some
few instances an increase might be
needed; that he reached his construc-
ton of the platform on what he un-
derstood to be the principle Of protec-
ton and its stificatiOn-namely
that after an industry was protected
by duty equal to the difference be-
tween the cost of production abroad
and the cost of production in this
country, including fair profit to the
manufacturer the energy and enter
prise OF American business men and
capitalists, the effectiveness Of Amer
loan labor, and the ingenuity OF
American inventors under the impulse
OF sompetition behind the tariff wall
would reduce the cost of production,
and that, with the reduction of the
cost of production, the tariff rates
would become unnecessarily high and
ought to be reduced.
Normal Operation Of Tariff.
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 a revision OF the tariff
could not be perfect, must have de-
fects and inconsistencies, but in SO far
AZ the presidents influence went
when called upon to act in conenction
with legislation it would be thrown
in the direction OF performing the
promises of the party as he under
stood them, and that If iron ore and
oil and coal and hides did not need
protection and the conditions were
such as to enable the ore producers
and the oil producers and the coal
producers, and the producers OF hides
to compete successfully, without re
duction of wages, with the producers
from abroad, then they did not need
a duty and their articles should go on
the free list.
Question Of Fact for Taft.
1T was a question OF fact which
the president hoped to make up his
mind with respect to, on such evi.
dence as was available to him, in
order to carry out what he under.
stood to be the promises of the party
to the whole people.
The president said he felt that his
publican party and as president, with
the whole people as his constituency
gave him somewhat broader point
Of view than that OF single member
Of congress in respect to articles pro
duced in his district.
THE president felt strongly the
call of the country for downward re
vision within the limitations of the
protective principle, and he hoped to
be able to respond to that call as he
heard 1t, as well in the interests OF
the party as OF the country"
Settles Question DecisiveIy.
The above statement will settle once
and for all any question Of what the
president meant in the tariff speeches
he made during the last campaign. He
has been criticised In many quarters
for his failure to interpret these
speeches. He has kept silent since hi
has been in the White house because
uG ui0 Aoe wASA ~ OAAooA o0S SAeiAS'
the house or the senate while they
we're framing the tariff bill by pro
claiming opinions which might have
been construed as pressure for thu
purpose Of forcing congress to givt
what he deemed essential.
The president is averse to interfer
ence In legislative business OF thu
| government. Now that the two hous
es have acted he came to the conclus
ion that the time had arrived when h
properly could speak.
He was influenced in this decision
by representations which had beel
made to him by practically all the con
ferees: He had told them what h,
wanted. They had tried to reach al
agreement among themselves. Blu
when they sounded their colleagues
who would have to sustain their cor
clusions. they found themselves fac
to face with what practically was a
impossible situation.