The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-03-31
President Also FavOrS Re-
duCtiORS on Necessities.
WOULD CHANGE PAYNE BILL.
He Approves of It In Principle, but
Believes More Schedules Should
Be Revised Downward
Than Upward.

Washington, March 30.-It is grad
ually becoming known that President
Taft is not entirely In favor of the
Payne tariff revision measure as at
present constituted.
One Of Mr.. Taft's congressional call
ers who talked tariff with the presi-
dent on leaving the White House de-
clared that the chief executive heartily
favored free tea, coffee, lumber, hides,
iron ore, petroleum-and, in fact, the
entire removal of taxes from the ne
cessities of existence, The president
would have readjustment downward
of the schedules on gloves, spices,
stockings, etc.
At the same time Mr.. Taft is not in
clined to interfere with the making of
the new tariff laws at this juncture.
Those best qualified to judge say that
the president intends to leave all con-
gressional matters to congress and
does not intend to dictate to that body
what it shall do, At the same time he
takes advantage of the calls made
upon him by senators and representa-
tives to state anew in response to
their requests for suggestions his own
position and the policy to which he
believes the Republican party is COM
mitted.
1t is too early in the fight for the
president to feel called upon to pre-
sent specific views as to the various
schedules. The broad general policy
of reducing the tariff on the necessi-
ties of life-the imports that go to
help feed and clothe the great masses
of the peoples the one that appeals
to the president and the one which he
is said to feel hopeful that congress
will adopt.
President Taft believes that the sys-
tenn of taxation to be adopted to meet
! the growing deficiency in the treasury
should be one calculated to cause the
least friction. 1t Is for this reason
that he strongly favors the inheritance
tax idea. The collection of such a tax
is easy and comes from unearned
money. The fact that several Of the
states have got ahead of the national
government in adopting the idea is the
only drawback to the scheme. The
governments adoption Of the principle
would mean double taxation in some
states and might cause some friction
between the national and state govern
ments This is the argument made
to the president against it.
The president does not believe that
a stamp tax would be a great burden
upon the people. A stamp tax at this
time would not go to the extent of the
war tax imposed in 1898 Such tax
would be far better, it is declared al
the White House, than the imposition
of such a tax or duty on foodstuffs as
would cause unrest and anxiety on the
part of the general public.
President Taft has let it be known
that he approves the Payne bill IL
principle. but he believes more sched
ules in the Dingley tariff should be re
vised downward than upward. His
message to congress shows how averst
he is to imposing his personal views as
to the tariff upon congress, and he in
tends to adhere to his policy in this
respect. His only utterances to mem
bers of congress on the subject have
been in response to their direct re
quests for his views as to certain
things