The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-17

mad understood it had meant revision
ooWn in many instances, though per-
maps in some few cases an increase
might be needed; that he reached
what he understood to be the prin-
ciple of protection and its justihca-
ton, namely that after an industry
was protected by a duty equal to the
olnerence between the cost and pro-
auction in this country, including a
fa1r profit to the manufacturer, the
energy and the enterprise of Ameri-
can business men and capitalists, the
effectiveness of American labor and
the ingenuity of American inventors
under the impulse of competition
behind the tariff wall would reduce
the cost of production and that, with
lhe reduction in the cost of produce
t1on, the tariff rate would become un-
necessarily high and ought to be re-
duced.
Stands by Promises.
This was the normal operation of
the tariff as claimed by the defend
erS or the protective system-not in
every case, but as a general rule
that, OF course, revision of the tariff
could not be perfect. must have de-
fects and inconsistencies, but insofar
as mis- influence went when called
upon to 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 and oil and coal
ana hides did not need protection and
the conditions were such as to enable
the ore producers and the oil pro-
ducerS 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 a duty
and their articles should go on the
free list.
ut was a question of fact which he
hopes to make up his mind with re-
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 people.
He said he felt that his position as
the titular head of the Republican
party and as president gave him a
somewhat broader point of view than
that of a single member of congress,
in respect to an article produced in
his district He felt strongly the call
of the country for a downward re-
vision within the limitations of the
protective principle and he hoped to
be able to respond to that call as he
heard it, as well in the interests of
the party as of the country
Senator Bristow of Kansas, a lead
ing revisionist, said regarding the
presidents statement:
THE progressive Repu bIicans are
all absolutely in accord with the
presidents statement in it's definition
of what the bill should be, and If
the bill had complied with it they all
would have voted for it. But the bill
does not comply with that statement
in any material particular"
Shoe Men Thank Taft.
Boston, July 1.-THE following
telegram was sent to President Taft
today by the New England Shoe &
Leather association: your statement
as published in todays newspapers
cannot fail to be exceedingly help
full to the independent tanners and
shoe manufacturers and shoe wear
ers all over the country. We appre-
ciate and thank you for your discrim-
mating judgment and sense of JUS
tice displayed in this subject
Bryan's View of 1t.
Kansas City. Mo-, July 17.-After
reading the White House statement
as to President Taft's position on the
tariff William ]. Bryan who passed
through here today enroute to EN-
poria, Kan, said he considered thet
presidents statement rather equivo-
cal. He said If the president meant |
that the house bill was revision |
downward, he was mistaken.
Mr.. Bryan said:
Tt all depends upon the construc-
tion to be placed upon the presidents |
word. The house did not make a |
downward revision of the tariff. The
acceptance of anything like the house |
bill can not result in a reduction of |
the tariff