New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-01
TIE PRESIDENTS SERVICE


It reflects great credit on most of the news
papers OF the country which have antagonized
protection in the past ana would have been glad
TO see the Dingey schedules overloaded in any
thing but friendly spirit that they have been
willing to recognize the substantial results
achieved under President Tafts leadership in
the pending revision. They have not cautiously
condemned the President for accepting what
might seem to them 100 little and for not accom-
plishing all which they may have desired
that maximum representing the manifesty i'm
possible. There are of course, always the eX-
tremsts who prefer no bread to a half loaf and
condemn practical statesman who goes one mile
or miles in their direction but does not think
It feasible to 90 three or four. There were such
extremists in Iincoln's time who censured him
for making haste too slowly in hberating the
slaves and who tried 10 defeat him for renom-
ination in 1864 because as they said, he was
not prosecuting the war with sufficient energy.
There are such all-or-nothing irrecOncilables to-
day who, disappointed in their impossible ex-
pectation that the Republican party would enact
some measure like the Wison-Gorman law, are
proclaiming that the new tariff act is a fraud
and that President Taft has proved untrue to
himself by manifestins his willingness to ap-
prove it.
our former neighbor, The New York Times
is Of the extremists disposed to insist on
that narrow and unjust view. Although it
praised the bill which passed the House OF
Representatives as the best tariff measure ever
fathered by the Republican party, superior to
the tariff commission law of 1888, the NIcKin-
ley law or the Dingley law, it has only denun-
citation now for the conference report. which
through President Tafts insistence has been
reshaped once more to carry out the ideas OF
the House. 1t has withdrawn its first frank
confession that the House bill had conspicuous
merit a downward revision of the tariff and
says of the President who successfully upheld
the House draft against the Senate's:
He now becomes responsible for a measure
that breaks and betrays his campaign pledges.
1t puts him before the people in the attitude Of
President who has not had the courage TO
make good his promises. AS 1t
stands. he must share with the Senate and the
House the verdict of reproach and condemna-
ton which the people certain to pass upon
the revised tariff
That is judgment as bourbonish the con
demnation of Lincoln for nefficiency and luke
warmness. The Times prefers 70 ignore the
conditions which the President he'd to face He
was confronted by an alliance Of reactionaries
in the Senate. representing both political
parties The Democratic minority in the Senate
was outHardly opposing but secretly support
ing Ar. Aldrich in multiplying the Houses work.
Special and LOCAL interests controlled the Sen
ate's action and had also not little power
under cover in the House Of Representatives
To overcome them and TO break their grip on
tariff legislation in itself a notable po-
ltical achievement. The President was engaged
in q moral contest with the forces which have
hitherto shaped tariff laws for private profit
rather than for public benefit He won his fight
"a critical fight for good government and bet
Ter legislative methods. But The Times can
find no satisfaction in the victory. because II
failed TO result in the rearrangement Of the
tariff system on q non-protective basis.
As We have said, most Of the anti-protection
newspapers are more liberal minded and more
appreciative than The Times Is OF the Presi-
dents admirable stand FOR al enlightened and
rational application OF the protective principle
Says The Springfield Republican" for in
stance
The bill as IL stands is so far an Improvement
over the House bill and vast Improvement over
the reacIlonary Senate bill. Its rates will prob
ably average less than the present Dingley rates
largely on account Of free hides and the radi-
cal slashfne Of the boot and shoe and leather
duties, and it viii thus, nomnally at least if
NOT very substantially, meet the Presidents and
party'k pledge OF downward revision. And if
in fact, the stand patters' have not lost much
ground. they have Suffered a moral defeat; for
the tendency 10 higher and higher tariff has at
last been arrested and turned the other way
within the high tariff party itself
The Baltimore SUM- consistent low tariff
newspaper. is less grIdging and more explicit.
II says;
President Taft has won a notable victory over
the reactionaTy- elements of his party in Con-
gress. He has achieved this triumph by a COM
blnatlon oe tact, frmness and moral courage
which reflects high credit upon his ability and
determination a leader He had a
plain duty 10 perform and the viii and the power
10 perform II effectually. The favored benef-
Charles Of the Aldrich- Payne schedule-the
trusts. the interests" and their friends in Con-
gress-wlA be enraged because the President
mas blocked their schemes. But the President
can regard their rage with indifference because
he has the approval of his own conscience and
the Endorsement Of the people
Some Democratic newspapers mag attack the
President out Of sense Of partisan obligation
and try to show that he failed to bring TO terms
the Republican-Democratic ''stand-patter' COM
binauon il the Senate. But no critic of rhe
new Law processing to be impartial can afford
10 undervalue the Presidents service in making
it what it is. That service will prove historical
for it will mark welcome turning point in the