New-York tribune., 1909-04-30
PRESIDENT TAFT
NOT TO BE SWERVED
INSISTS on FULFILMENT
OF P4RTY'S PLEDGE.
No Consideration of Business En-
pediency Viii induce Him to Sign
an Unsatisfactory Tariff Bill.

washington. April 29.-Carefully prepared
computations designed 10 show that the consid-
Grafton OF the tariff bill is costing the country
100000 more or less. may make interesting
reading. and it is barely possible may expedite
in some slight degree the deliberations of Con-
gress But the submission Of such calculations
to the President with a view to impressing upon
him by implication that It would be wiser to
affx his name to unsatisfactory measure
than 10 veto it, and thus prolong the tariff de-
bate will not prove successful. In fact. such
submission may be attended by some degree of
danger the statesman who undertakes IT.
President Taft has enjoyed too lengthy judi
ciaI experience TO he affected by efforts how
ever subtle. TO influence the court
In the early days OF the tariff discussion Ger
tain of the House leaders ventured to suggest
the President that the most important end
TO be sought in the revision OF the tariff was Ito
have it over with" and the suggestion brought
forth an enunciation OF Executive conviction
little short OF q rebube
The President is keeny alive to the impor-
tance Of expeditions work by the two houses Of
Congress-: he realizes to the full the embar-
rassnent TO the business interests OF the coun-
try which is the inevitable concomitant of un-
certainty regarding the tariff rates; but he Is
no less appreciative Of the fact that the pres
ent tariff revision will or should be OF such
ton for another readjustment OF the schedules
for a decade or longer. Under these circum-
stances he places the interests of the consumer
for that period against the immediate necessi-
ties Of the business man. and from the COM
parison he arrives at the conclusion that. for
purely economic reasons. il is better to pro-
long the present situation by a veto. if
that be necessary. than TO have written on the
statutes an inequitable tariff act
POLITICAL QUESTION INVOLVED.
OF hardly less force in determining the Presi-
dents course are the political considerations in
volyed. When. in 1892. a majority OF the vot-
ers became convinced that the time had arrived
for a revision Of the Mckinley law they turned
II the Democratic party TO rewrite the tariff
statutes The course of that party in the prep
aration Of the Wilson bill 50 merited censure
that even the Democratic Chief Executive felt
compelled 70 denounce il measure of per
fdy and dishonor.'
Restored 20 power the Republican party. in
1S.i7. revised the tariff and performed its work
50 well that the Dingley law has stood the test
OF time for twelve years.
During recent years the conviction that
changed conditions demanded another revision
has grown apace. and one Of the leaders in the
advancement OF this view was William II. Tart.
who. three years ago in a speech at Bath. Me-
M expressed
rad come to revise the. Dngey schedules At
that time Secretary Taft was perhaps. some
what in advance of the trend OF thought in his
ra~tv but two years later the national con-
yertion which chose him for its standard bearer
r1edred the PARTY to an adequate revision
Throughout the campaign that followed Demo-
cratic orators insisted that genuine tarln re-
vision could te obtained only from the. oppo-
nents Of the protective system. while Mr.. Taft
asserted that his party would so revise the
tariff as TO satisfy the demands OF all reasohapie
men Should the tariff law fail 10 rum
,he marty pledge Mr. Taft would regard his
promises as stultif1ed and the arguments OF lne
Democratic speakers as confirmed. There Is no
reason 10 believe therefore, that any consldera-
tiors of Immediate business expediency VIII de-
Ter The Chief Executive from his purpose ID
exact from his party in Congress an honest
fulflment Of the party pledge.
LEADERS NOT IMPRESSED
The Senate leaders are disposed to dismiss
with little consideration all intimations OF the
r-s,,der,,s dissatisfaction. and even go SO far
as "a assert that only those who are making
tbe tariff can form any adequate conception OF
the difficulties which confront its trainers OF
arrive at any correct conclusion as TO the Ioril
which the measure Will assume after II mas
been submitted the fire Of the conference
Be this as il may. there is a keen Suspicion OH
the part Of the Chief Executive that lhe en-
Yhaficallv and unequivocally expressed con'ic-
tion NJ loval Republicans that the work Of the
Senate so far as il has gone. is insufficient ana
unsatisfactory will have salutary eject ne
President feels that frank expression OF the dis-
satisfaction occasioned by the Senates "oFK
thus far cannot but promote the ultimate Tor
mutation of a measure which he can cordially
approve