The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-07-17
STATEMENT FROM WHITE HOUSE
SWEETS AWAY ALL DOUBT
AS TO WHERE HE
STANDS.
HIS INTERPRETATION
ON PARTl'S PLEDGE
Indicates He viii Veto Measure i,
Tariff is Not Reduced-Wants
Free Raw Material--Progr. S
sives Say Statement
Helps Them.

| Washington, July 1G-All doubt as
to where President Taft stands with
regard to downward revision of the
tariff was swept away today when a
statement was given Oh; al the White
House setting forth in detail what tie
president had to say to the twenty.
three Republican members of con,
gress who called TO protest against
putting raw materials on the free list
The president in this stateMont d.
clared that the Republican party is
committed to downward revision,
that he has never had a9y othr idel
of the Chicago platform, ard that he
personally has promised downward
revision to the people
Will Vsto Bill
This statement is int arpretad in
some quarters here night as n ect
notification TO the tariff cCnfsr es
that if Tho measure finally agreed up
on does not constitute 4 material re-
ductior in speciGc duties the rrasl-
| dent will veto it,
Dictated in the third person. the
statement concludes with this final
word OF the presidents attitude as
outlined to his callers: He felt
strongly the call or the country for
downward revision Within the limits
nf the protective principle. ard he
hoped to be able to respond to that
callsas he heard it, as well in the in
terests Of the party as Of the coan-
| try"
The presidents statement created
a decided sensat on among the sel-
ators and representatives who be-
came acquainted with its corten to-
night. Aldrich made no direct com
ment upon 1t, brt said the conferees
had decided to let Taft deal with tie
schedules upon which they coUll not
| agree, it being up TO the president to
secure the votes necessary to pass
the measure In the form in viii h it
would be reported out of the confer.
erce as a result of his mediation.
Speaker Cannon declared that the
which any good Republican could OBJ
ject. Other Republicans took ihe
same view, while Senator Brstow oil
Kansas, one Of the progressives. de.
clared that 1t strengthens the hands
of the progressives.
Silent Heretofore.
The president has been careful
heretofore to let no impression gain
ground that he was debating to con.
gress. He always declared that he
hoped satisfactory bill would be
framed in accordance with party
pledges. His reticence in the rast
has lent more weight than would or
dinarily be attached to such a state
ment as was given out this afternoon
The president asserts for the first
time his authority as a titular head
of his party As such he announces
his conviction that the party plat
form meant revision downward. and
that not other Interpretation can be
placed upon it,
The president, according to the Of
fetal statement, declares that in so
far as his influence whent when he
could only act in connection with
legislation, It would be thrown in the
direction of performing the promises
of the party as he understood them
and that if iron ore. oil, coal. and
hides did not need protection and con-
l.
producers, oil producers, coal pro
ducers and producers of hiues to com
pete successfully without a reduction
lof wages with producers from abroad,
then they did not need the duty and
their articles should go on the free
list.
Promise Of Party
II was a question of fact which h q
hoped to make up his mind with r.
spect to, on such evidence as was
available to him. In order to carry
out what he understood to be the
promises Of the party TO the whole
people. He said he felt that his POSI-
tion as titular head OF the Republican
party and as president. with the
whole people as his constituency,
gave him a broader point of view
than that of a single member of con
gress in respect to the articles pro
dueed in his district
He felt strongly the cal of tie
country for downward revision with
in the limitations of the protective
principle, and he hoped to be able to