Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-07-17
REPUBLICANS
PLEAD WITH
PRESIDENT
POLITICAL LIVES DEPEND
ON RETENTION OF DUTIES
Foes of Free Raw Material In
wade White House in Force
Given Scant Consolation byI
Mr., Taft.
IBy Morning journal Special Leased wirel

Wlli q II
IBy Morning journal Special Leased wirel
Washington, july l6-The White
House was stormed today by a dele
cation of twenty three republican con-
gressmen, who spent an hour and a
half with the president telling him
that their political lives depended on
the protection Of raw material II
has become pretty generally known
about the capitol that the president
favors the free entry of hides, oil
and coal and material reductions in
lumber, etc.
Many of the congressman who COM
posed the delegation represent south
ern districts. They told the president
they had been elected ON the theory
that they would protect raw materials
in which their people were Interested
and that il the party failed to do this,
their districts would return to the
democratic column.
Mr. TART listened to all that was
said and chafred the congressman good
naturedly at times.
The spokcsmcn of the visitors were
Representative Young of Michigan,
vino dWelt on the necessity OF placing
high duty ON iron ore, Mondell of
Wyoming, who is particularly inter-
estcd ia coal; Gaines, of West Nir-
Langley, of Kentucky, for coal and
lumber; Austin, of Tennessee, for coal.
iron aud lumber, and Hayes, Of Cali
fornia,
rho president replied That hc was
committed tn the principle of free
raw material, but that hc was COM
mitted 10 the principle of u downward
revision of the tariff, which hc had
promised. and that i'e was obliged to
look at the matter not from thc
standpoint or any particular district
but from a point Of the whole coun-
Try and also from the standpoint of
responsibility Tor the entire republic
can party he said the question in
each case was a question of fact, TO
be determined by evidence. as to
whether the present duty was needed
for protection or whether the rate
was excessive 80 that Il downward re-
vision. or putting the article on the
free list would not be an injury to
the industry.
He repeated the platform of the re-
publican party and said that he had
it meant a downward re-
vision in MANY instances, though, per-
haps in some few cases, an increase
might be NEEDED, that ne reached this
construction OF the platform on what
he understood to be the principle of
protection and its justification,
namely, that after an industry was
protected by a duty equal to the
difference between the cost OF pro-
luction abroad and the cost of pro-
luction in this country, including a
'air profit to the manufacturer, the
energy and enterprise Of American
business men and capitalists, the
OF American labor and
he Ingenuity of American inventors
lnder the impulse of competition, be
hind the tariff wall would reduce the
,ost of production and that with the
'eduction and the cost of production
he tariff rate would become unnec-
sssarily high and ought to be re-
luced.
This was the normal operation of
he tariff as claimed by the defenders
If the protective system--not in every
,ase. but as a general rule-that. of
curse. a revision of the tariff could
lot be perfect, muct have defects and
Inconsistencies. but in so far as his
influence went. when called upon to
Ict in cnnection with legislation, it
would be thrown i'm the direction of
performing the promises of the party
IS he understood them. and that IL
ron ore and oil and coal and hides
lid not need protection and the con-
litious We're such as to enable the ore
PRODUCERS and the oil producers and
he coal producers and the producers
# hides TO compete successfully with
,ut reduction of wages. with the
PRODUCERS abroad. then they did not
leed duty and their articles should
90 on the free list
Later in the day the following Of
icial statement was made at the
White House.
'Mr. Young of Michigan opposed
rec ore. Mr. Mondeil opposed free
oal or reciprocity with Canada and
rec hides. each on the ground That
he policy would iniure the interests
u his state and a discussion was
participated in by other representa-
ives who urged that the doctrine of
rec raw materials was not a rcpub-
lean doctrine
~ WIS question of fact which h"
oped To- make up his mind regard
NJ. on such evidence as was avail |
bile tu him in order to carry out /
What he understood to Doe the prom
ses of the party to the people He
aid he felt that his position as the |
itular head of the republican party |
nd president gave him o somewhat
roader view than that Of single
member OF congress in respect 70 ar
Icles produced iu his district. He
elt strongly the call of the country |
or downward revision within the !