New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-02-18
rs NOT TNSISTENT ON
COMNISSION IDEA.
Tells -4Jdrick and Cannon Results
Are What He Seeks-SpeciaL
Session March -.
rFrorn The Trihune Bureau


and the participants seemed perfectly willing to
allow that impression to prevail. but as mat
&C. Of fact while these leaders of the party
v-ere IN conference. Representative Payne the
Republican floor leader. was announcing TO the
House with the authority Of Mr.. Taft. that the
special session would he called on March Is.
The real purpose of the conference was to
discuss the legislation to be enacted at the spe-
cisl session, and incidentally to ascertain if it
were true that Mr.. Taft had indorsed the tariff
commission proposition which the National
Tariff Commission convention at Indianapolis
suggested yesterday. Mr.. Taft's attention was
called to the fact that the Indianapolis conven-
zion maintained that he was a strong supporter
of the tariff commission idea, and that the con-
vention was circulating several thousand ltho-
ersphed reproductions of letter from Mr.. Taft
which was construed as an Endorsement of the
pian BY the President-eleCt
Messrs. Aldrich and Cannon told the Presi-
6ent-elect that there was not the slightest use
In urging the tariff commission idea on Con-
gress; that Congress would have none of it
Thev said they were convinced that commits
sion would serve no good purpose; that the
Finance and Ways and Means committees of
Congress We're composed of tariff experts. who
Eere amply competent to readjust the schedules
ana that The members of both houses would be
most unwilling TO delegate their prerogatives to
q commission or 10 accept its recommendations,
were such a commission created.
USE OF LETTER UNwARRANTED
The President-eiect did not commit himself
en- the subject, but said that the use which was
being made Of his letter was unwarranted and
indicated that as the method by which Congress
arrived at its conclusions with regard 10 the
necessary changes in the tariff schedules was
legislative matter, he did not purpose to inter
fere He asked results, he said, including a ma
terial modification of the tariff rates, and if
Congress would give him that he would cheer
fully refrain from proposing the manner in
which such results were to be attained He ex
pressed perfect faith in the sincerity of the
party leaders to conduct genuine tariff re-
vision. and said that he realized perfectly that
the responsibilities Of the Executive ended when
he had submitted such facts as ne possessed TO
Congress by message. but he gently intimated
that. Of course, any extreme advocates Of
stand pastisn1" with whom the leaders might
have 10 deal. could be truthfully reminded that
The President would deem it his duty 10 veto a
tarfr bill which failed TO carry out the pledges
made By the party in its national platform.
The leaders seemed pleased with Mr. Tafts
attitude. but they submitted that there was now
every needed facility for the ascertainnent OF
the facts Nth regard to the cost of production
of srecial agents Of the Department of Com
merce and Labor, including Charles NJ. Pepper,
who had secured Europe and the Orient TO pro
cure lust the information which the committees
Of Congress viii need. They said that, in ad-
di1ion % these special agents, they could rely
on the information furnished by consular
agents the boards Of appraisers and other eA-
perts who have been employed by the Finance
Committee under the provisions Of the resoin-
ton adopted in the Senate year ago.
The President-elect contented himself with an
expression Of qualification that Congress was so
well provided with the means of gaining thesin-
formation it would need He said, however that
he fully appreciated the responsibilities Of the
Chief Executive: that they were enough 10 oc-
cupv all his time. and that he was perfectly
content 10 hermit Congress to take care Of its
trouble in its own way, especially If the re-
suits attained were satisfactory TO the party
and 10 the country.
PLEASED WITH Mr. TAFTS ATTITUDE
The leaders in Congress are greatly pleased
with the attitude which Mr.. Taft has taken
They like his method Of leaving to them the
settlement Of the date on which the special ses-
SIGN should be called. and his willingness TO
refrain from urging on them a commission, al
though they cannot escape the suspicion that
he regards the commission idea a good one.
They call attention TO the fact that. despite
the lurid reports which appeared in part Of
the press a few months ago to the effect that
Mr.. Taft would seek to unseet Mr. Cannon,
he sent for and consulted with the Speaker. and
that he seemed ready TO listen to the advice
which was offered him by Mr.. Cannon and
others Of the leaders. They call attention, fur
'thsr. 10 the fact that Mr.. Taft did not hesi-
tate to send appeal TO the Speaker To exert
every proper power 70 remove the constitutional
obstacle 20 Mr.. Knox's accepting the Portfolio of
State and after rejecting on the course Of the
President elect many of the Congress leaders
predict that -.he will be another Mckinley"
and that there will be no friction between the
White House and the Capitol during Mr.. Taft's
occupancy Of the former. The leaders say that,
even where Mr.. Taft does not fully agree with
them he treats their views and opinions with
the greatest consideration, and when he does re-
sect them he does il in $50 winning way that
they expect that the utmost party harmony will
Characterize his term as President
Mr. Taft left here this afternoon for Cincin-
natl, where he will remain until Saturday after
noon. when he will depart for Philadelphia He
viii go 70 New York next Tuesday
The supplemental report of the Panama Canal
Engineers was delivered to Mr.. Taft to-day, and
by him turned over to Colonel Goethals. This
report deals with a number OF technical ques-
tons upon which their advice has been asked
II is believed by leaders in Congress that the
work Of the special session can be finished be-
tween June i and To-
staunton, Va, Feb. 17-President- elect Taft
passed through here tonight on his way from
Washington 20 Cincinnati. He was greeted at
ths station by several hundred persons. to whose
demands for speech he responded briefly. say
ing that SfsunSon was the first place in which
he had made a speech after being nominated
al Chicago for President. He closed by saying:
Il k5nrs r ,,ftt sea xzo, ali ar the inaueuration