The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-03-05
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.

President Taft's inaugural address
gives instant assurance of the transit
ton from disturbing executive activity
to judicial poise in the office he as
sumes. Although he abandons none of
his predecessors policies but on the
contrary declares his intention of full
Cling their purpose. his language is so
temperate, the tone of his utterance so
dignified as to convey comfort to
country that has been suffering from
uncertainty as TO what maladroit emaH-
alton would issue from the White house
at any moment Having watched the
three-ring circus of the Roosevelt re-
gime until 1t is weary and cross-eyed
the nation turns with relief to the pros
pect of normal, sane performance of
well-defned duties by a president who
knows the law, respects It and viii
obey as we'll as enforce it.
4 X
First, and most important in the pres
ident's promises is his affirmation of an
intention to promote tariff reform and
secure action at the earliest possible
moment. He cites the promise of his
party platform and declares his desire
for a revision of the schedules in good
faith Incidentally, he points to the
deficit, which I'll reach 500, 600 GOO this
fiscal year, and suggests that some
source of revenue besides import du-
ties may be needed, preferably a grad
uated inheritance tax. He is also in
favor of a INSTRUMENTATION tariff
which shall give the executive power to
impose countervailing duties against
those countries which discriminate
against American products.
Considering TIE necessity for the
preservation of national resources, the
value of permanent investments like
the Panama canal and the proposal to
improve the internal waterways of the
country. he suggests that the cost of
improving the Ohio and Mississippi
river channels might properly be met
bv the issuance of bonds which would
distribute the cost over several gen
erations and be regarded, not as an ex-
pense, but as a profitable investment.
Mr.. Taft's position as regards the
ed, exactly that of President Roosevelt
He believes in a big, efficient navy, and
an army large enough to provide the
nucleus for an adequate national force
in case of need. He approves Of the
coast defense plans in course of exc
cntion and urges the need of their COM
pletion.
Touching upon the relations of the
nation with foreign peoples, and spe-
csaIly referring to the complications
arising from the inability Of the federal
power TO enforce rights transgressed or
ignored by state authorities. Mr.. Taft
advances the idea that congressional
legislation can and should be enacted
which would grant the government
newer 20 bring violations of treaty
rights by states into the federal courts
So far as We recall. this IS the first def
mite announcement OF his theory on this
subject. As a good lawyer he evidently
believes such legislation would stand the
rest of review by the supreme court. 1t
is Of course. directly in harmony with
the Republican theory of centralized
.--v--a777e-t and the construction of the
constitution along that line. but it is
by no means certain that the individual
states would submit willingly to such
enaetments or that the highest court
would so construe the rights of the
federal government as TO de- !are that
a treaty could override state authority
or compel state action without affirm
at.ve legislation by the state affected
In the wyoming cases and in the New
Orleans riot cases, the government as
s1,rned that federal indemnity for losses
inflicted by mobs was a voluntary com
oensation and not an obligation under
treaties in force. The debates in con-
zress at the time contained no hint OF
Legislative action such as is suggested
bv Mr.. Taft: and his proposal is an in
dex of the long steps taken OF late
wears toward the assumption of power
nv the federal government which had
not been thought possible decade ago.
<
The address reviews briefly the work
being done by the special commission on
monetary reform. urges the establish
ment Of postal savings banks, approves
,,f the work on the Panama canal and
PROMISES to support to the utmost the
me- now in charge of construction. In
5o-nniai affairs. AIR. Taft takes 1t for
granted that free trade viii be estab-
ushed between the Philippines and the