West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-07-29
OUR washington LETTER
President Standing Pat for Revision
Downward.
SENATOR SCOTT SHEDS TEARS
Sobs Because Coal May Be Placed on
Free List-Oesth KneiI OF Pro-
teetIve System.
From Our Regular Correspondont.

WAsHINGToN, July p. The determined
effort OF President Taft 20 induce his party
leaders in congress, and especially in the
senate, 10 make some actual and material
reductions in the tariff and the violent
protests and obvious terrors Of the apos-
ties Of protection as result have afforded
subject Of interest throughout the past
week Thus far the president has refused
TO make any concession from his demand
for free hides, free coal, free petroleum,
free iron ore, and the house rate Of 81 Il
thousand feet on lumber.
number of senators from the western
states are making the most cxtravagant
arguments against these reductions and
are protesting with unrestrained violence.
Senator Scott, of West Virginia, went 10
the White House recently TO endeavor TO
induce the president to Withdraw his de-
mand for free coal, and when Judge Taft
refused he left in flood OF tears, actually
standing on the steps of the White House
office building and sobbing as unexplained
to the newspaper men the unreasonable
ness of the chief executive
Senator Clark, of Wyoming, whose
brother is the owner Of the two largest
coal mines in Wyoming, exhibits no re-
straint whatever in his denunciation of
the president because of the demand for
free coal, and Senator Warren is vchem-
ent in his denunciation of the free hides
proposition. Senator Borah took posi-
ton against free hides, as did Senator
Curtis against free petroleum, but Mr.
Borah has come into line on receiving an
assurance from Judge Taft that he will
endeavor TO secure a reduction OF the du-
ties on boots and shoes, and Mr. Curtis
has announced that he is "a Republican
first" and will follow the party leader
irrespective OF his personal views.
Ii Is only in private conversation that
senators are willing TO reveal the real oc-
caslon of their intense opposition TO the
president Recommendation Talkingpri-
vately, they frankly admit that they fore
see in his attitude the death knel of the
protective system. Said one OF them to
your correspondent today:
President Taft may not realize the
fact, but he is rank free trader. He is
undermining the whole protective system.
| We Republicans have always maintained
that under protective tariff we could
build up industries, which through their
| own ompetition-domestic competition |
mean-would bring down prices. If that
were true it would make no difference
| whatever how high the duties were. The
prices would come down just the same.
Now the president takes just the OPP
poslte stand and says it is an injustice to
the consumer to leave the duties too high.
What will be the result? The consumers
will get the idea that all tariff except that
imposed solely for revenue is an injustice
to them and they will wipe out the sys-
tenn. 1t is none too popular anyway, and
for a great national figure like Taft to at
tack it means its ruin.
'Now hc wants free hides, iron ore,
petroleum, and coal. Then the people
who have hides, ore, petroleum, and coal
to sell will Immediately begin to insist
that we must have free boots and shoes,
free steel, free products OF petroleum, and
so ON. Even some Republican senators,
like Borah and Cummins, and, i'm fact,
all the insurgents who voted against the
senate bill, are already clamoring for free
boots and shoes.
and they will get them, and once the
people become used to the cheaper prices
which will result from the removal of the
duty we will never be able TO induce them
TO stand for the higher prices Free hides,
indeed Don't the president know that
the next thing they will demand will be
free wool? He wants free lumber because
he deemed it hardship for the poor man
who has to build house or a barn to pay
the increased price resulting from the
duty. Don't he realize that the next
thing the public will demand will be free
nails and free paint TO finish their houses
and barns? You can never satisfy them.
Their demand for lower prices once they
get the taste will be Unsuitable and the
N''FA' VI NNti pluliNNlNt NlIutNlFt VIII
come tumbling about our heads
Then, too, lac wants a tariff commits
sion. What good will that do? Merely
furnish information TO the public on
which 10 base demands for lower duties.
The people are happy and contented now.
They are paying high prices and they are
making no complaint, but once Taft starts
them on the high road 10 free raw mate
rails, there will be no stopping them short
Of free everything and the very founda-
ton Of the Republican party will be cut
from under it,"
These are the actual words Of a western
senator who will not allow his name TO
be used, but who is leading the fight
against the reductions The president dc.
mands and who will probably vote against
the tariff bill when tits completed.