Evening journal., 1909-09-18
TAFT AND THE WEST.

- RESIDENT TAFT'S trip to the West has
been one triumph thus far. lie now is
in the country where some of the principles
enunciated by the Republican party are differ
cnt from those championed by Aldrich and Can
non. He is in the territory of the progressive
Republicans, as the Senators who refused to ac-
cept some OF the Aldrich tariff schedules were
termed The President will doubtless find that
the "prcgressves' represent the sentiment of
their Western constituents regarding the tariff
question: a sentiment for downward revision
that was more pronounced than that embodied
in the bill finally enacted by Congress.
The West is committed to most Of the Roose-
welt doctrines, President Taft will find as nc
tours through that country and gets N FIRST
hand touch with its sentiment That the Pres
ident is mindful Of this, and that he has not cu<
away from the Roosevelt policies may be gath
cred. from Mr. Taft's Chicago speech
"But this prospect of prosperity" he said,
must not blind us to the necessity for carrying
out certain great reforms advocated by Mr..
Roosevelt recommended in the Republican party
platform, which | believe are needed TO prevent
a return TO the abuses which all men recognize
the evil Of in our previous business methods and
the management of our great corporations
The President could have gone further than
that in his discussion of the tariff question, and
did yesterday in Minnesota. The public land and
forestry controversy and the tariff seem to be
dominant question in the West now.
The Presidents utteranceS in Chicago on the
labor question should prove cheering TO the
workingmen He left no doubt that he is
friendly to organized labor and could not sym
pathize with the element among employers OF
labor and investors Of capital which is utterly
opposed TO the organization OF wor1ingmen. He
believes it wise course for the workingmen
to unite 10 defend their interests, and he left nc
doubt of his advocacy of arbitration of disputes
between capital and labor. This is in line with
the Presidents attitude during the recent steel
workers strike in Pennsylvania.
There have been many ntimations recently
that the President is to lay aside his judicial at
titude and revert to the Roosevelt method OF
getting some of the legislation he wants next
winter, if he is unable to get it otherwise. The
big stick" may be dragged from the dark closet
for emergency use The President might find
the North Pole which Peary presented to him
better adapted for use in dealing with some OF
the opponents of his policy
In the waning days of the special session OF
Congress the President found it necessary to
modify the judicial attitude and to use diplo-
matte club to bring about the revision of certain
tariff schedules He is just as likely to meet
opposition from the same sources next winter
when he seeks to strengthen the Interstate
commerce laws, and TO secure government con
troll over the capitalization OF railroads and cor
porations or to reopen and revise certain sched
ues OF the new tariff bill should he find sucf
changes necessary. The President will find
sentiment through the West that is far dfferen
from that OF the Aldrich-Cannon old guard a
Washington