The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-07-17

excessive, so that downward revision,
or putting the article on the free list,
would not injure the industry. lie re-
peated the platform Of the Republican
party and said that he had understood
il meant a downward revision in many
instances. though perhaps In some few
cases an increase might be needed; that
he reached this construction of the
platform on what he understood 10 be
the principle of protection and its lusti-
fication, namely, that after an industry
was protected by a duty equal to the
difference between the cost of pro
duction abroad and the cost of produc-
tion in this country. including fair
profit TO the manufacturer, the energy
and enterprise of American business
men and capitalists, the effectiveness
of American labor and tho ability of
American inventors under the impulse
of competition behind the tariff wall
would reduce the cost of production
and that with the reduction and the
cost of production, the tariff rate would
become unnecessarily high and ought to
be reduced.
Will Stand by His Guns.
"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 Tule-that, OF
course. a revision Of the tariff could not
be perfected. must have defects and in
consistcncles; but, insofar as his influ-
cnce went when called upon to act IN
connection with legislation, it would
be thrown in the direction Of perform
ing the promises of the party as he nm
dcrstood 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 reduction of
wages with the producers from abroad,
then they did not need duty and their
articles should 90 on the free list
''It was a question of fact. which he
hoped to make his mind up on such evil
dcnce as was available to him, in order
to carry out what he thought the prom
Uses of the party to the whole people.
He said he felt that his position as the
titular head Of the Republican party
and as the president gave him a some
what broader point of view than that
of a single member of congress IN re
spect TO articles produced in his dis
trict. He felt strongly the call of the
country for downward revision within
the limitations of the protective prin.
ciple, and he hoped TO be able 10 re.
spoud to that call as he heard II, as
well in the interests of the party as
of the country
Causes Sensation.
The president 5 statement created a
sensation tonight among the senators
and representatives, Senator Aldrrh h
made no direct comment upon it, but
said the conferces had decided to let
Mr. Taft deal with schedules upon
which they could not agree, ii being
10 h.. 30, , l,, 90.
necessary 10 pass the measure in the
form in which it would be reported oIt
of conference as result Of his media
tion between the house and senate con
fcrccs,
Speaker Cannon declared the state
ment contained nothing TO which any
good Republican could object.
Senator Bristow of Kansas, one Of
the senate proGresslVes, SAID;
1.-THE statement vastly strengthens
the hands OF The progressives.
President Taft up TO this time has
not permitted himself to be quoted in
connection with the tariff struggle. His
frame of mind was indicated in his New
Haven speech of June 80. however in
which he warned the Republican party
that if it did not keep its promises j,
would be rclcgated To the minority,
The president has been careful here
tofore TO let no Impression gain ground
that he was debating to congress. He
always declared that he hoped a salts
factory bill would be framed in accord
ance with the party pledges, The prcsi-
dent asserts for the first time his au.
thority as the titular head of his PARTY.
As such he announces his conviction
that the party platform meant n re-
vision downward and that no. other IN
depreciation can he placed upon IL.
In addition 30 the suggestion of a
veto which many political observers
read into the president S statement. it
Is taken also as TO mean that If con
gress docs not agree to what he re-
CARDS as a proper revision downward
there will be a split between the prcsi.
dent and the legislative branch of the
government.