The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-09-18
TARIFF SCHEDULES
DEFENDED BY TAFT
President Delivers Long-Ex-
pected Speech in InSur-
gent State.
CONTINUES from First Pagel


constituents; they must fight for their
denominations and for their reflections.
They must be renOminated. II at all,
as opponents OF a program which the
leader of the party has given indorse-
ment. and they will be bitterly opposed
by the high-tarif regulars. who will
persistently attempt to condemn them
out of the mouth OF the President.
II they win at the primaries. they must
still fight at the polls for their election:
and II they win there. it is not easy
to see how they can take the election to
mean less than a mandate to press for
more tariff revision just as soon as pos
sible.
With Insurgents.
The reports which have come from In
diana, Iowa, Minnesota, and Kansas,
as to the receptions given the insurgent
Senators on their return home at the
close OF the tariff session, seemed to in
dictate that their constituents were de-
cidedly with them. All Developments
since that time have borne out this i'm
preston. The people who are on the
defensive. in the middle west at least.
are those who voted for. rather than
against, the bill
This is the case in South Dakota, for
instance, where the progressives are on
the trail of Senators Gamble and Craw-
ford. 1t is the situation in Nebraska,
where Senator BurlSett viii undoubtedly
receive, at the hands of President Taft,
an Endorsement, similar to that given
TO Mr.. Tawney, for supporting the bill
Indications from Nebraska have for
months pointed with increasing direct
ness to the possibility of Mr. Burkett' 8
defeat simply because he voted for the
tariff bill.
President Taft has taken the vigorous
and the courageous course. II is also
the course which involves possibilities
of great political embarrassment TO him.
II, after his Endorsement of the tariff
bills supporters, the insurgent States
shall stand firm and give their renewed
allegiance TO the insurgents, while re-
pudisting the supporters Of the measure.
II VIII involve direct reflection on the
leadership OF the President.
Political Effect.
The political effect Of the three great
utterances Of the President to date; his
Boston Endorsement Of Senator Aldrich.
his Albany letter vindicatfng Secretary
Ballinger. and the Winona speech-can-
not fail 10 be very significant Whether
the tendency to insurgency shall be nit
iEated, or whether il will be Increased.
is only 10 be determined by the develop
ments of weeks and months 70 come.
There is impression, however, that the
President. in some later speeches. will
say some things which will greatly mod
ify the effect Of HIS declaration at Wi
mona. II has been insisted BIZ people
who have talked with him recently that
he proposes to use the new tariff board
10 prepare the way for substantial revis-
ION OF certain Objectionable schedules.
The President, il is positively stated
by people who claim TO know what he
has in mind, intends 20 make this tariff
board amount 10 something. Senators
Aldrich, Hale, Scloot and the rest OF
the leaders. including the House author
titles. were very determined that Il
shouldn't amount TO anything, and are
creating it that it couldn't possibly be
OF any serious use.
To Stretch Point.
President Taft. II IS modestly sug-
Eested, isn't going 20 be so strict about
keeping within the letter of this tariff
board law. as he Is about sdhering 10
the strict dictum of the public land and
conservation statutes. He is willing to
stretch things a bit. In the matter OF
the tariff board; quite a bit, in fact.
Beginning with the Beverage and La
Toilette measures for creation Of a tar
IN commission. the Senate Finance Com
mite pared the commission plan down
by degrees TIL there was an irreducfble
minimum left OF it. II was positively
declared by Senator Hale that the board
wouldn't have any power or any appro-
priation 10 look into comparative costs
Of production In America and abroad
That was the particular thing the high
tariff people seemed most determined
70 prevent. and the law as drawn and
as interpreted by the men who made
II certainly VIII have 10 be violently
strained to make II cover any such in
vestigationg.
Nevertheless. President Taft Is goina
right ahead with just that sort OF in
vestigations. His sponsors, as TO this
statement talk as II they were assured
that Taft was prepared for a regular
Cid-fashioned Roosevelt stunt. OF doina
just what the Executive liked without
reference TO the law. II Congresses
doesn't like what the tariff board does
let II cast about for a remedy: let II
impeach somebody, II II wants to. OF
mayhap Il viii choose TO strike out en-
tirely the provision for maintenance OF
the tariff board.
VIII Make an Issue.
Anything q undertakes 10 do will give
the President the chance TO make an
issue on this point. and the people who
are looking for him 10 do something
very vigorous say he will come TO the
front with unexpected vigor and face
any fight that the Aldrich people may
put I'D.
People who arr expecting these things
OF the President insist that they know
that their Information comes direct from
the summer capital. and that IL will be
completely borne out by the speeches
which the President will make durinC
his Western trip. They say all these
things are going to be prom sed.
The cotton. WOODEN, leather, and lum-
Der schedules are specifically named as
u the first group that viii be given the
attention u the taTin board. under or
6ers Of the President Mr. Taft wants
&c find out whether American teNthe
workers get better wages than English
or German. and exactly how much bet
ter. and he Is going. 10 is declared. 10
give the tariff board some very strict
and absolute directions TO find ont an
such things as this in. the most scien-
ILac and reliable way.
Has No Prejudices.
He doesn't entertain any prejudices
90 the subject. The board viii not be
started out with any precouceived no
tons. or with any theory to tho proof
OF which II viii be wanted TO shade
evidence. II viii just be told to get
busy collecting the facts, and warned
that Il is working cor the President. not
for the Speaker. or Senator Aldrich. OF
the Finance Committee. or anybody
else. It's responsibility will be 10 the
President and he viii assume an the
responsibility TO Congress for ans
stretching Of the authority Cor doing the
work.
Ap9 r-l,or, chic n, so,.,,,- tf,,, a.. o.tt,