The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-27
TAFT AND THE TARIFF.

AItOgeIher TOO much excitement OF
the rather frenzied sort has been oc-
casioned in 'insurgent" and other
quarters, it would seem, by the re-
cent speeches of President Taft on
the tariff question. His remarks in
defense of the new tariff law and
his criticism of the Republicans who
voted against it on the final roll call
after the many material compromises
had been effected. which made it a
measure of considerable revision
downward have been fastened upon
all too strongly by the "standpatters''
in congress as a vindication of their
actions and as an evidence that Mr.
Taft will be strictly on their side of
the fence in the future.
On the other hand. the Gin
surgents," who came in for a gentle
rebuke from Mr.. Taft. have really
been magnifying their troubles out of
all proportion. AS to the question
whether they did right or wrong from
party standpoint in voting against
the bill because it did not meet with
their approval in it's entirety, it is
matter of more or less personal or
party opinion. 1t is surely not of
sufficient moment to have them de-
clare an unrclentless war on Mr. Taft.
During the whole of the tariff de-
bate and the conferences on the bill
Mr.. Taft stood with the insurgents
in their fight for an honest re-
demption of party pledges by the ma
terial reduction of some of the
essential schedules. He was success
full in winning more points in this re-
spect than ever the most sanguine
hoped for and his success in this line
was hailed as an 'insurgent' victory.
When he secured the best bill he
could get in the way of reducing
tariff charges and removing several
of them entirely he signed it. And
isn't it a triffe unreasonable to ex-
pect that after he had attached his
signature to a measure of this i'm
portance and thereby made it law
of the land he would have paraded
around the country and denounced it
as faulty measure in all particulars?
That would be personal qualification
to an extent that no man, let alone a
president of the United States. would
engage in. Nor was there any need
for it.
1t is known that President Taft
does not consider the Payne tariff
law to be anything like an ideal
measure. For instance, he rightly
believes the wooden schedule to be in
defensible. There are other features
to the law which are just as obnoxious
to him. And it is we'll to bear in
mind that tariff revision is not ended.
1t has just begun. When it comes up
in congress again Mr.. Taft will be
right where he was before. fighting
with the "insurgents," who really and
truly represented the sentiments of
the people in their respective COM
munities, for a tariff revision of re-
duced schedules.
Here's another important matter
bearing on this question. The cor
respondents now in Washington are
writing to their papers to the effect
that the tariff commission appointed
by the president is being looked upon
with considerable askance by the
''standpatters.'' They had nothing to
do with the makeup of the board.
Every member of it has for a long
time been in sympathy with the de-
mand of the business interests of the
country that the tariff be taken out
of politics as far as possible. and that
a permanent commission be created
to study the whole subject in a
scientific way and report its con-
illusions to congress. 1t is said that
the president intends to authorize
this board to go even further in
tariff Investigations than congress
contemplated.
A sober consideration of the tariff
question and Mr. Taft's position on it
ought to convince anyone that certain
insurgents are hollering them
selves hoarse without cause and that
variousand sundry ''standpatters" are
taking to themselves a lot of solace
which has not drifted their way.