Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-03-04
MIR. TAFT's INAUGURATION.

Mr.. William Howard Taft, of Ohio,
was today inaugurated President OF
the United States. The ceremony
took place in the Senate chamber.
Among other things Mr.. Taft said ::
The Office of an inaugural address
is 10 give a summary outline OF the
main policies of the new administra-
ton. so far as they can be antici-
pated. have had the honor to be
one of the advisers of my distin-
guished predecessor. and. as such,
10 hold up his hands in the reforms
he has initiated ! should be un-
true to myself to my promises and
OF the declarations of the party plat
rorm upon which | was elected TO
Office, if / did not make the mainten-
ance and enforcement of those re-
forms a most important feature OF
my administration. Relief of the
railroads from certain restrictions
of the antitrust law have been urg-
ed by my predecessor and will be
urged by me. On the other hand.
the administration is pledged to leg
islation looking TO proper federal
supervision and restriction TO pre-
vent excessive issue of bonds and
stocks by companies owning and
operating interstate commerce rail-
roads
A matter of most pressing i'm
portance is the revision of the tar
in. In accordance with the promises
of the platform upon which | was
elected. | shall call Congress into
extra session, to meet on the 18th
day of March, in order that consid-
Grafton may be at once given TO a
bill revising the Dingley act. This
should secure an adequate revenue
and adjust the duties in such a man
ner as 10 afford to labor and to all
industries in this country, whether
of farm. mine. or factory, protection
by tariff equal to the difference be-
tween the cost of production abroad
and the cost of production here, and
have a provision which shall put in
TO force. upon executive determine
ton of certain facts. a higher or
maximum tariff against those coun-
tries whose trade policy toward us
requires such discrimination. 1t Is
thought that there has been such a
change in conditions since the en-
actment of the Dingley act, drafted
on similarly protective principle,
that the measure of the tariff above
stated will permit the reduction OF
rates in certain schedules and Will
require the advancement of few, il
any.
In the Department of Agriculture,
the use of scientific experiments on
large scale. and the spread of in
formation derived from them for the
improvement of general agriculture,
must go on.
We should have an army 50 or
ganized, and so officered. as 10 be
capable in time of emergency, in CO
operation with the national militia,
and under the provisions of proper
national volunteer law. rapidly TO ex-
pand into a force sufficient to resist
all probable invasion from abroad
and 10 furnish respectable expedi-
tionary force. if necessary. in the
maintenance of our traditional Amer
lean policy which bears the name OF
President Monroe,
Our international policy is always
10 promote peace. We shall enter
into any war with a full conscious
ness OF the awful consequences that
it always entails. whether successful
or not. and we, of course, shall make
every effort. consistent with national
honor and the highest national in
terest, TO avoid a resort to arms.
The admission of Asiatic immi-
grants who can not be amalgamated
with our population has been made
the subject either of prohibitory
clauses in our treaties and statutes
or of strict administrative regulation
secured by diplomatic negotiation
| sincerely hope that we may con
tinue TO minimize the evils likely tC
arise from such immigration with
out unnecessary friction and by mu
tual concessions between self-respect
| ing governments. Meantime, VIZ
must take every precaution to pre-
vent. or, failing that. TO punish out
bursts of race feeling among oui
people against foreigners of what
ever nationality who have by oul
grant a treaty right 10 pursue law
full business here and TO be protect
ed against lawless assault or injury
This leads me TO point out a ser
ious defect in the present fedora
jurisdiction which ought to be rem
edied at once. Having assured u
other countries by treaty the pro
lection OF our laws for such of thet