Evening star., 1909-03-04
The Inaugural Address.

Judge Taft's opening declaration. made
with cIearness and emphasis. is for 'the
maintenance and enforcement of what
the country knows as the Roosevelt poll
cies. He feels himself committed to
them for three reasons: D AS a member
Of Mr.. Roosevelts cabinet he helped to
shape them, (2) the republican party in
It's platform and the voters at the polls
last year indorsed them; and CD they still
have his unqualified approval. Such
statement the country expected. and as
made 1t will command applause.
The new administration, then, will favor
m army and navy adequate to the needs
Of the country in its larger relations with
the world. 1t will insist on keeping our
treaty obligations With foreign powers.
and such legislation as will enable the
national government to do that fully. 1t
will oppose the merest suggestion of scut-
tie as to the Philippines. and labor TO
carry forward the country's work there,
In Porto Rico and elsewhere in the spirit
Of the best possible rule for the people of
those possessions. 1t will look to the in
crease Of our foreign trade. and endeavor
TO remove restrictions where they now
exist. 1t will push the work on the Pan
ANA canal on the plans adopted.
In domestic affairs the administration
will stand for a square deal for both capi-
tai and labor. Additional antitrust legis
lation is necessary. Currency reform on
q comprehensive scale should be effected
at as early a day as possible. Juggling
with, and the overissue of. stocks of inter-
state railroad corporations should be pre-
vented. The secondary boycott is con-
demned. and the writ of injunction when
properly issued upheld
The topic for immediate consideration
10 tariff revision. Judge Taft has favored
revision for several years. and states the
case now with frankness. He interprets
the Chicago platform as meaning re-
duction of customs duties where they are
too high. but still TO provide the gov
ernment with revenue sufficient to meet
all proper and progressive demands. In
laying or retaining customs duties the
American wage scales are in every case
to be considered. If In carrying out this
policy new forms Of taxation should be
necessary they should be devised. AS
one such form Judge Taft suggests an
Inheritance tax. But that alone would
not take the place of large reductions in
the old forms. In his message to the
special session Of Congress the President
will have an. opportunity to develop his
tariff policy. and doubtless will improve
81. The point of moment today is that
he favors genuine tariff revision.
On the race question the views present
ed are certain to provoke discussion. The
south will welcome the promise not to
appoint men to of1ce against whom local
race feeling prevails, and it need not,
and probably will not, take offense at
the championship of the fifteenth amend
Hnent to the Constitution. That, in effect,
stands nullified wherever action has been
taken on it. and no challenge Is made,
or threatened. on the subject Of bringing
about constitutional congressional repre-
Gontation. What Is said about education
for the negro Is well and generously
said, and there can be no sounder propo-
Gition than that the negro Is here to
stay. and for his own as we'll as for
the white mans good must receive when
he deserves 1t sympathy and assistance in
all his efforts to qualify himself for the
best usefulness in the country.
The address Is excellent as respects
style. or rather for the want of what or
dinarify goes by that name. Words are
well chosen. Sentences are short There
10 no ramblins-no turning from, and
then returning to, topic Not purple
patch. nor a straining after an epigram
disnEures the paper from first to last.
The paper is the man. And if. as seems
likely. we have entered on a period of
simple and clear statement of public
questions from headquarters the example
may spread. and the hectic exaggerations
and linguistic contortions of the muck
rakers cease to disturb the country.