The Washington herald., 1909-04-08
Will Mr.. Taft Veto the Tariff Bill

The New York Tribune reports that
Senator's interested in the complexion and
fate OF the tariff bin are apprehensive
over tie possibility that President Taft
may veto Il. It's Washington correspond
ent says Mr.. Aldrich is framing bill
which cannot in any sense be regarded
as a revision downward. the implication
being that the Aldrich measure will fan
10 come UP 20 the standard set by Mr..
Taft Of honest revision, Of compliance
with party pledges. and so on. Mr.. Taft.
It is said. is taking little interest in par
ticular schedules, believing il TO be the
duty Of Congress To frame a tariff bill
but has given fair warning thar he will
veto the measure #. when placed before
him. ii should be found unsatisfactory.
In cur humble judgment. speculation Of
this sort is all moonshine. We do not
expect TO live 70 see the day when Re-
publican President deliberately vetoes
tariff bill framed and passed by a party
majority in House and Senate. Mr.. Taft.
it should he remembered, is a stanch Re-
publican and n strong protectiOnlst. He
is in favor Of revision upward as well
as Of revision downward He is for
protectionist schedules all the way
through. To be sure. he has enunci-
ated certain principles Of tariff revision.
which. II carried out consistently IN the
framing Of a bill might conceivably pro-
duce quite a different result from that
shown in the Payne bill. For example.
Mr.. Taft has said that protective duties
should not encourage excessive profits. and
on that theory we should think an in
crease in the hosiery schedule indefensi-
BILE. But Mr.. Payne tells US that the
present duty is insuficiently protective
and that the manufacturers were able TO
show that more duty was needed TO cover
the difference in manufacturing cost.
which Mr.. Taft has agreed is a proper
test Of protection. Take the statements Of
the Republican revisers. and you will find
that they can justify by the terms Of the
Republican platform, and even by the
principles Of revision Mr. Taft has set
forth in his speeches. every protective
Schedule in the bill
Whose advice, then, will Mr.. Taft heed
when it comes 10 signing a tariff bill?
VIII he accept that Of its critics, or that
Of its trainers, promoters, and defenders?
What sort OF a test can he put Il to
in determining whether it conforms with
the Republican platform, or with his
his conception Of an honest revision?
Honest revision is a vague term. and the
Republican platform Is hardly more def
mite; at all events It says nothing about
downward revision, and is pretty plain
about the policy of the Republican party
20 preserve that security against for
eign competition to which American man
ufacturers. farmers. and producers are
entitled. What are the worst schedules
Of the Payne bill-the hosiery. glove,
and woolen schedules-intended TO do
but to carry out the pledge OF the Repub-
lican platform to preserve American man
ufacturers against foreign competition?
Does anybody expect Mr.. Taft 10 go
back on that pledge? And would he not
be doing so If he vetoed a bin highly pro-
tective all the way through?
It is true that something was said dur
ing the campaign about the consumer;
and an impression gained currency that
tariff revision would lower the prices
of the necessities Of life. Nothing could