The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-17
Taft Tells Republicans Exactly
 How He Stands
PROGRESSIVES EXULTANT
President Is Wise Enough To Keep From Any Appearance of Dictat- Ing To Congress, But He
 +-s Serves Notice On Party.

Washington, July 16-All doubt to where President Taft stands with regard to the downward revision of the tariff was swept away today when a statement was given out at the White House setting forth in detail what the President had to say to 23 republican members of Con- gress who called to protest against put ting raw material on the free list.
 The President declared that the repub- lican party Is committed to a downward revision: that he has never had any other idea of the Chicago platform, and that he personally has promised downward re- vision to the people.
 This statement Is interpreted in some quarters here tonight as a direct noti- fication to the conferees that if the meas ure they finally agree upon does not con stitute a material reduction in specific duties the President will exercise his power of veto.
 Dictated in the third person, the state ment concludes with these final words Of the President;
 ''He felt strong the call of the country for a downward revision within the limits 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"
 Aldrich Is Mum.
 The President S statement was shown to Senator E-.1rich. He made no direct com ment upon 1t, but said that the conferees had decided to let MT. Taft deal with schedules upon which they could not agree, being up to the President to secure the votes necessary to pass the measure in the form in which it would be pre- sented out of conference as a result of his meditation between the House and Senate conferees
 Sneaker Cannon declared that the state ment contained nothing to which any good republican could object. Senator Bris- tow of Kansas, one of the Senate pro- gressives, said:
 "rhe statement vastly strengthens the hands of the progressives."
 Representative Barchheld of Pennsyl- vania declared that the statement meant that a downward revision of the tariff was inevitable.
 Representative Young of Michigan de- clared that the Presidents stand means that Congress must revise the tariff down. ward.
 President Taft up to this time has not permitted himself to be quoted in con nection with the tariff struggle. Ills frame of mind was indicated in his New Haven speech on June 30, however, in which he warned the republican party that if it ar,d i've what the people expected of 1t, 1t would be relegated to the minority. Taft Acts Quietly. The President has been careful hereto fore to let no impression gain ground that he was dictating to Congress. He al- ways declared that he hoped satisfac- tory bill would be framed in accordance with the party pledges. His reticence in the past has lent more weight than would ordinarily be attached to such state ment as was given out late this after i noon.
 The President asserts for the first time his authority as the titular head of his party. As such, he announces his conv1c- ton that the party platform meant re- visiop downward, and that no other Inter pretation can be placed on it. In addition to the suggestion of a veto. which many political observers read into the Presidents statement. 1t is taken also to mean that if Congress does not agree to what he regards as a proper revision downward there will be split between the President and the legislative branch of the government as wide as was those which marked the administrations of President Roosevelt and President Cleve- land.