New-York tribune., 1909-04-29
SENITE TARIFF BILL NOT
WHOLLT ACCEPTABLE.
attitude Of Upper House Giues
Hil Serious Concern O7cn
Position Unchanged
rrrcn TIE Tribune Bureau.


tween the measure which the Senate leaders are
preparing TO present for his signature and his
conception Of genuine tariff revision
From time TO time the members of the Finance
Committee have consulted the President regard
ing certain features Of their substitute and step
BY step they have won his unqualified approval
for the provisions relating to imports from the
Philippines, the proposed customs court and the
maximum and minimum clause. They have not
consulted Mr.. Taft with regard TO specific rates
although they have given some general assur-
ances Of the sincerity OF their purpose so tn
frame the schedules as TO command his ap-
proyaI
Actuated by desire to cooperate as far as
possible with the party leaders in the perform
snce Of task the difficulties Of which none re-
slizes better than he the President has cheer
fully expressed his cordial approval of those
features which commend themselves to his judg-
nent and has carefully refrained from giving
utterance, either by special message or through
the press, 10 those misgivings which he has been
unable TO escape as he has observed the prog
Tess OF the really essential worI-the fixing Of
specific rates Whether his desire TO commend
al that commardable has been miscon-
strued or the erroneous impression has been
gained that his satisfaction with certain feat
ures Of the measure would offset his disap-
proVal Of he schedules, is not wholly clear
Il
alton Of the Presidents position. from which at
no time has there been the slightest deviation
The President believes that the Republican
party stands pledged 10 q genuine tariff re-
vision; that genuine tariff revision consists
OF revision downward save, possibly, in a
very few instances where gross inequalities
have prevailed. and finally. that having been
elected on a platform pledging the party to
tariff revision. It viii become his unavoidable
duty 10 disapprove q tariff bill which is not a
fulhlInent Of the party promise.
When, some weeks ago, the question will
the President veto the arif bilI?" was asked in
these dispatches and the assertion was made
that Republicans in both houses Of Congress
were putting this inquiry to one another. there
Was vehement protest from the Senate leaders
and abundant assertion that the President and
the Finance Committee were in complete and
perfect accord. 1t was noticeable moreover.
that those charged with the responsibility Of
framing the Senate measure took occasion to
60 Immediately the White House and to sub
nit TO the President their plans for certain
features Of the measure which they conf
dent would win his approval. and to assure him
that he need entertain no misgivings concern
ing the large portion of the substitute still in
the formative period Reassured by these ex-
pTessions of sincerity. the President cordially
commended so much OF the measure as he had
seen.
DIFFERENCES OF METHOD
In The -Tribunes dispatch attention was
calico to the radical differences of mcthod-not
Of policy-between this administration and the
ore which Immediately preceded it, while the
suggestion vas made that President Taft's
Willingness TO assume the attitude Of coercing
Congress might easily be misconstrued by those
So long accustomed to the more strenuous meth
DDS OF his predecessor L is possibly too early
to say that such is precisely what has taken
place II may be said. however. that il has
been. and is still, the Presidents earnest desire
f. avoid the appearance of driving Congress
into hole and then clubbing it into the per
torrnance of its duty, but q grave error will be
made # Mr. Taft's reluctance 10 adopt this
method Of party leadership is mistaken either
for lack Of conviction for supineness on his
part
In discussing the tariff recently with friends
the President has frankly deplored the fact that
the men On whose assistance ne should be able
% rely to insure adequate revision Of the
Dngley rates are so prone TO weaken their own
hands by their selfish insstence on the mainte-
Rance Of high duties on those commodities most
Produced IN their respective states.
He appreciates. for instance that il viii be
difHcult for a Senator from stock raising state
II only the products Of the farm are subjected
70 reduction but he is equally convinced that
placing hides on the free list can be adequately
defended by a Senator Representative who
has consistently advocated prOportionate re-
oucton Of the duties on the products Of the
nine and the factory.
Were it not for the unwi!lingness OF those
men who on broad lines are advocates of genu-
Inc tariff revision 10 subordinate even in slight
degree their local interests TO the national wei
fare, the President would know where TO turn
Tor assistance in the dilemma which now con-
lronts him, but as he surveys the Legislative
held he is forced 10 the conclusion that he alone
stands for consistent revision throughout all the
schedules. and IS alone without local interests
inimeal 10 the welfare Of the ultimate con
sumer
Ihe Argument that duty must he imposed
On iron ore in the production Of which in this
country manual labor has Jeen almost entirely
eifalnated, IN order to protect its producers
nom the competition of Cuban ore, mined 50
Ngeiy by hand. presents no satisfactory appeal
MF- Taft. Even tire suggestion that some
oooan ore may be imported and manufactured
~ 1he Southern states does not impress him as
'uncient warrant for the duty on that com
"'oaity- Mr. Taft believes that broad states
4nanship should take cognizance Of the wholly
'ehshcial. even If small. degree Of conservation
oi the beds OF this country which such i'm
portation would effect. and the certain in
creased employment OF labor in the Southern
states which would be the result Of the manu-
sae1ure there OF Cuban ore.
Many other instances might be cited Of the
DISCREPANCIES between the Senate substitute and
Hie Presidents conception Of adequate tariff
revision measure, and while il is realized that
'ine of these may be corrected in conference