The Republican journal., 1909-05-13

IlcIl Ho very SIcdI uuCy IcuuCIlOnS Gall
be looked for in the coming law. There
will be some increases and changes both
from and to the free list.
Again, while the bill is being most
seriously debated in the Senate, at the
same time there is not the same inter-
est in tariff making throughout the coun-
try as during the framing of previous
laws The business interests, without
exception, are anxious for the bill to be
passed, no matter what its provisions, in
order that we may as soon as possible re-
turn to a normal condition of industry.
1t is estimated that we are losing ten
millions of dollars a day and will continue
to lose this amount until the bill becomes
law That is three hundred million dol
lars month, or nearly billion dollars for
the three months during which the bill
will have been debated. 1t will be seen
then that loss or gain of few million
dollars revenue cannot compensate for
this immense loss to the industrial inter-
ests of our country, and Senators and
Representatives are being importuned
from every side to hasten the bill with
all possible speed. What effect this will
have cannot yet be determined, but it is
evident that several Senators will insist
upon long speeches in explanation of
such features as the income tax, the in
heritance tax, Tariff Commission and
other provisions not exactly connected
with the schedules. So, after all, it may
be nearer the first Of July than the first
of June before the bill finally reaches
the President
1t seems quite evident. too, that the
leading Democrats are going to take
every advantage possible of the differ
ences among the Republican leaders.
These differences have to do largely with
the subjects named above more than
with the amount of duty to be adopted in
the various schedules. Hope is enter
tained however, that after few more
days of debate, the conditions will be
more clear and that perhaps the bill can
be passed by June LIST. How long it will
remain in conference it is idle to con-
template, perhaps only a few days and
perhaps for weeks, but when the bill
does reach the President there will be
a long sigh of relief from every bust
ness interest in the country.
1t becomes more and more evident
daily that the present Administration is
going to be thoroughly business one,
and that Mr.. Taft proposes to be the
President of the whole people and to
take upon himself the responsibility of
every Department.
While the difference between Mr..
North, the Director of the Census, and
Mr.. Nagel, Secretary of tee Department
of Commerce and Labor, may be more
or less exaggerated in the press, still it
is fact that the Census Bureau is not
at present constituted and managed in
way to suit the President He feels that
if he is to be responsible for the work of
that Bureau he must have supreme au
thority, and for that reason some chan
ges may be made in the Census law, or
there may be a change in the Director
ship The Census bill now in conference
may not be finally passed until the Tar
if bill is out of the way, and in the
meantime the President will acquaint
himself with the entire conditions and
be ready to so rule as to give the people
the best possible service in the coming
Census, to be taken next spring. 1t
should be borne in mind, however, that
there is no reflection upon the character
or ability of Mr. North, the whole matter
being simply the difference of opinion as
to how great an authority he should eN-
ercise.
While President Taft exhibits none Of
the impulsiveness of his predecessor, Yet
IL Is D6COIIllQ IOlS dllIt lIlOlt E'cll tL4l
that once he makes up his mind that he
is right nothing can swerve him from
the course he wishes to take. In the
matter of the Panama Canal, for instance,
while criticisms are being hurled at the
Government from many sources, yet Mr..
Taft is so convinced from a personal eX-
animation of the work and from a thor
ough knowledge of the entire matter,
that the construction is going on in the
best possible manner, that he will listen
to no suggestion whatever looking to a
change. He believes that the work will
DO completed in 1913, with perhaps just
a slight hope that it may come before
the end of his Administration. Should
he be renominated and reelected there is
no doubt that the opening will be cele-
brated long before his second term has
expired.
The President, too, has most positive
convictions regarding the Philippines.
the conditions with which he Is also most
familiar, and he proposes to work zeal
ously during his Administration for
everything that will bring advantage 10
those people and hasten their final self
government.
We have probably never had Presi-
dent in our history so familiar with the
various lie pdItiiltHlS VI elIe Wv q itlel4t
and our possessions and undertakings as
the present incumbent of the White
House, and this knowledge and expert
ence added to the judicial temperament
of Mr.. Taft should make him an Execu-
tive whose opinions must be respected
without regard to party or State. There
is no Senator or Representative or any
officer in the Government service, or any
citizen, who is not to-day persona grata
at the White House. Many have called
upon Mr.. Taft who have not been to the
White House for the preceding seven
years, and this esteem for the President
and confidence in his judgment should go
far towards making his Administration
one of the most successful in the history
of the Government.
Shake Into Your Shoes