The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-07-17
|CHAFFS HIGH
 TARIFF MEN Taft Replies to Protec-
 tionists. POLITICAL LIVES IN DANGER Twenty-three Republicans Make
 Vain Appeal. President Says He Favor. Pretectie. Where Needed. But Hints .t Individual Interestsf Be-
 hind Activity.

WosniuBtons D. C.s Juiy lo-Al doubt as to where President Taf, stands with regard to the downward revision of the tariff was swept away today when a statement was given out at the White House setting forth ir detail what the President had to say to twenty-three Republicans memberi of Congress who called to protest against putting raw materials on the free list. .l
 The President in this statement de- clared that the Republican party Is that he has never had any other idea of the Chicago platform and that he personally has promised a downward revision to the people.
 This statement is Interpreted in some quarters here tonight as a decla ration to the conferees on the tariff bill that if the measures they finally agree upon does not constitute a material reduction in specific duties the Presi. dent will exercise his power to veto.
 It has become pretty generally known about the Capitol that the Pres ident has expressed himself quite free- ly as fsvoripg the free entry of hides, oil and coal and material reductions on lumber, etc. Many of the Congressmen who composed the delegation repre- sent Southern districts.
 They told the President almost tear fully that they had been elected on the theory that they would protect raw materials in which their people were interested and that if the party failed to do this their districts would fop back again into the Democratic coll umr.
 MT. Taft listened patiently to all that was said He chaffed the Congressmen good naturedly at times. Representa- tive Hays of California made e speech fn favor of protection of iron ore, for instance. but the President said he suspected MT. Hays of being chiefly interested in lemons. The range of the discussion covered every known raw material and when 1t was all done and through with the President stated his position. =.
 He said that he favored protection where protection was necessary and that where protection vas no longer needed he was in favor either ef great. ly reducing the duty or removing il
 Wants to Dc Rssht Thing.
 '.It is merely a question of facts gentlemen" the President said to the 4Conmresman, eand in the light of facts we all want to try to do the right thing"
 The spokesman of the valiant twen-
  (Mich ). who dwelt upon the neces- sity of placing high duty upon Iron ore: Mondell (Wyo.), who is partic- ularly interested in coal; Gaines (W. Va. ], speaking for coal and iron: Lang ley (Ky.), for coal and lumber; Cowles (N. c.), for lumber: Austin (Tenn. ) for coal. iron and lumber and Hays (Cal.)
 MT. Langley put the matter square ly up to the President as question of political expediency.
 we came from Democratic States, some of us," said Mir. Langley. put we were elected as Republicans who believe in the protection of raw ma terials. If we fail to protect our con stituents we will be revised downward' into private life"
 President Taft remarked dryly that he was as much interested in Repub- lican success as anyone could be.
 Senator Bradley (Ky.) made the twenty-fourth member of the party TOT . few minutes, but left shortly after the conference began
 President Makes Statement.
 Later in the day, the following of- ficial statement was made at the White House: free ore: MT. Mondeil opposed free coal or reciprocity with Canada and free hides; each on the ground that the policy would injure the interests In his state. The President replied that he was not committed to the people on fine free raw material, but that he was committed to the people on @ down. ward revision of the tariR which he had promised and that he was obliged 10 look at the matter not From the standpoint of any particular district but from the standpoint of the whole country. and also from the standpoint of responsibility for tne entirS H0pun- lican Party.
 He repeated the platform of the Re- publican Party and said that he had always understood that 1t meant 8 downward revision in many instances, though in some few instances, an in- crease might be needed; that he rep resented this construction of the plat form on what he understood to be the principal of protection and its jus tification. namely. that after an indus try was protected by Q difference be- tween the cost of production abroad and the cost of production In this coun- try. including fair profit to the man. ufacturer. the energy and enterprise of American business men and capital is this:
 The effectiveness of American labor and the ingenuity of American invent ors under the impulse of competition behind the tarif wall. would reduce the cost of production and that. with the reduction and the cost of produc- ton. the tariff rate would become un- necessarily high and ought to ba re- duced.
 He said that he felt that his position as the head of the Republican aPrty ana as President. with the whole peo- pie as his constituency. gave him somewhat broader point of view than that of single member of Congress in respect to articles produced in his district He felt strongly the call of the country, for a downward revision within the limitations of the protec- tive principle and he hoped to be able to respond to that call as he heard 1t. as well in the interests of the party as of the country.
 Gets Facts in 0aI Case.