The Mankato free press., 1909-03-12
WOULD USE A KNIFE
PRESIDENT TAFT TO INSIST UPON
PROPER TARIFF REVISION.
His Views on the Question of Cutting
Into Schedules Have Not Changed;
What He Said Before the Nomi-
nation Came to Him; Courageous
Declaration.

dent Taft entered the field as all active
candidate for the nomination for the
presidency lie declared that he was Il
tariff revisionst. He said in effect
that it was due to himself and to the
party that his position in the matter
be made clear, so that it might be
known that while he was a protec-
ZIONIST in principle, he did not believe
in the same kind of protection that
many of the republican leaders seem
to consider vital
The declaration was courageous
one for it gave the opposition TO Mr.
Taft an opportunity to line up against
him those elements of the party that
held the constituted schedules sacred
In the campaigns on behalf of other
candidates than Mr.. Taft pains was
not always taken to tell the exact
truth as to the chief candidates tariff
position. In short time the words OF
his statement were forgotten and the
propaganda of opposition in Il mca
sure was successful in creating the be
| lief that Mr. Taft was standing peri
| ously near the ranks of the free trad
| crs.
Believes in Helping Wage-earner.
| During the campaign for the presi
dency the candidate repeated his earlier
statement, with added explanations o
his real attitude He is known today
to be in the same mood as when ht
told the country there was to be IL,
misunderstanding of his tariff opinion
He is revisonist, and believes il
lowering those duties which are no
necessary for the proper protection o
American industry and in ii readjust
ment of the schedules SO that the sal
not be obliged to pay for nccessaric
and some of the so-called luXuric
twice what they are worth.
| For the last month the forme
stand pat" leaders in congress hav
been trying to determine for their owl
satisfaction how far they must 90 il
lrevisiOn matters to meet the approva
of the administration. Apparently
is their wish also to find out just ho,
little they can yeiId to the prcsidcn
and yet be certain OF approval, eve
if grudging one or their work.
Bill to Be Changed in House.
The rcvisionists in the new congress
whose opinions on the tariff are Nj
Taft's opinions, believe that his mes
sage to the extraordinary session wi
be in direct line with the statement
he made prior TO entering the contes
for the nomination at Chicago an
stronger than those in his inauguri
address. The nature of the tariff bi
to be presented to the house undOubt
ledly is known to the leaders in hous
and senate, and these men probabl
will hold their leadership for anothe
two years at least. But the bill a
it is presented will not necessarily
the bill that will pass. 1t is likel
that changes will be made in it o
the floor of the house to meet til
wishes of the administration. Probabl
some of these alternatives in the schet
ules will be approved by the leader
among the representatives with I'll
expectation that the senate will L,
fuse to consent to the changes an
will do what it can to force the adol
tion of II measure nearer the o
stand pat ideals
The house may find the senate II,
entirely in the mood that it expects. ri
attitude of the senators toward Nj
Taft apparently is kindly. They "a
50 glad they have got rid of NJ
! Roosevelt that i'll the joy of the T.
lease they may be willing to 60
eXtremes of Endorsement of Mr.. Taft
, policies which the house leaders
present consider impossible. The G.
traordinary session is called for Il
consideration of tariff matters alon
and it is inconccivablc that with u
, first great matter of his administr
tion i'll the balance the president h;
not learned just what he is to eXpe
at the hands of Mr.. Aldrich, Mr.. Ha
and some of the other powerful il IL
overpopular members of the upp
house.