The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1909-06-10

Secretary of Treasury Nc
Veagh Makes Significant
Speach at Chicago.


Says That the Tariff Bill. When
Finally Passed. Must BE One That
wouid Meet the Approval of the
People-was Understood During
Campaign That Party Would Re
wise Tariff Downward-The East
ern Judgeship Again.
Washington. d. c.. June s. 1909.
Special to The Caucasian.
The stand-patters and ultra-pro-
tectionists who are trying to force
through the Senate a bill that revises
the tariff upwards instead of down
wards were given a severe jolt a few
days ago direct from the White
House. They have been contending
all along, as a justification for their
course. first. that the party did not
promise to revise the tariff down
ward. and second, that President
Taft approved their course and would
sign the bill that they are trying to
pass.
1t has been known for some time
that President Taft, while looking on
in silence and complacency. was yet
determined to let Congress and the
country know his position when he
thought the time had arrived for the
Executive to take a hand. It seems
that President Taft has decided that
that time has come. -
The occasion for this deliverance
was in a speech delivered by Secre-
tary of the Treasury McVeagh at a
banquet given by the Chicago Com
mereial Clubs on last Saturday night
Secretary McVeagh went direct from
Washington to Chicago, and OF
course his speech was critically ex-
amined and o. KID by the President
The subject of Secretary McVeagh' s
speech was tariff revision.
Secretary McVeagh's Warning.
Secretary McVeagh's speech Nigh,
be construed as threat, or at least
as warning to the former stand
patters who are now run mad and
who are trying not only to stand pat
but to raise the present tariff duties
In substance, he said: That the
tariff bill that would finally pass
must be one that would meet the ap
proval of the people; that there could
be no argument to the position of the
d ON, ~a,.fxv In, h. 1o-
paign; that the platform of the party
as interpreted by President Taft dur
ing the campaign, declared squarely
| for revision downward so as not Il
leave single rate higher than II
should be to protect the difference
between the cost of labor here ant
abroad, and therefore to greatly re
duce the cost of living. He said
That the policy that would revis'
| down and out, or revise up and out
were the two extremes, but that tn,
| proper course was the one promise,
by the party, and that those prom
ises must be kept.
| Toward the conclusion of his speecl
he said: That President Taft woul,
like to pursue a conciliatory polio
toward the tariff makers, and tha
he would if it were not necessary t.
interfere to protect the consumer
and to carry out the party promises
He said further: That Presiden
Taft had been looking on with cor
siderable patience and complacenc
while the tariff tinkering proceeded
but that no one must mistake hi
silence into acGuiescence, because tn
President realized that he was a pal
of the law-making power and ths
he had the last say, and that IL part
promises were not kept, that his sa
would be a combination of both lar
guage and the big stick.
Thus, the President, through b
Secretary of the Treasury, squarel
served notice that there must |
proper revision downward or the bi
would receive his veto.
This statement from the Presidel
has come like bolt from a clear sl
to the utra-protectionists who see
to be determined not to prote
American labor and to encourage Il
!. development of new enterprises, b
, who seem to be determined to DIT
tect only the trusts and to clotl
them with power to crush out &
competition and leave labor at t
mercy of foreign competition.
1t is safe to say that Mr.. Aldri
and his committee will take due n
tice of this warning and proceed
make many apparent If not real /
: dutcions, but it is also clear th
d President Taft cannot be fooled
II any tricks turned under the tab
d even though Mr.. Aldrich seems &C
, fident that he has enough Democra
2 votes to help him to put through a
ID old tariff bill that he may desire.
: The Eastern Judgeship Again.
l. In our letter of last week we ga
o. an interview from prominent I
lie publican in the State who said Il
u the Adams and Duncan political n
chine on account of their bad and
a. fensive management were entirely
te sponsible for the Republican pa
losing the judgeship.
T. Since that issue of The Caucas
at appeared We have received let
- from prominent Republican in