The Boise citizen. (Boise, Idaho) 1906-1910, 1909-05-07
!. is TAFT OR ALDRICH PRESIDENT?

That President Taft cannot hunt with the hounds and with
me hares is thus forcby put forth by the Oregonian:
number Of influential newspapers discussing with
the question whether Mr. Taft Adrch to be Pre
dent of the United States for the four The Aid
rich this connection is of partly ymbos connotes
that huge and less mystical entity sometimes spoken of
The putocracy sometimes the predatory rich but Mr. Aid
rich not by algebrac symbol He is per-
onaty also and potent though curously happens
that the objects which he personally desires always the
those which he strives for the foremost representative of the
maefcent wealth 1t is this inner harmony Mr. Adrichs soul
urge which makes him efficient legislative engineer.
The question whether Mr. Taft is to be President figure
head forced the front by the tariff predcamen which Mr. Aid
rich has tacfuly contrived Mr. Taft platform
which understood by everybody promise downward rev
sion of the tariff He understood in the way We know
this from his campaign speeches We know still certainly
from what he has said Enthusiastically
record with demand for lower tariff promise what
he it, 1t certain also that Mr. Taft decided toll
the Cannon regime the House.
test the speakershp and the rules might tariff revision
prevent altogether Mr. Taft did delayed
did he want prevented because hopes
for reelection he desired keep his word with the people, The
Payne bill not have been all that the
when he pledged himself for eviion still it did actually
the Dngey rates of the necessares of life and
free the from exorion Therefore
known that he accepted the Payne bill and went the Sen
ate with his implicit approval
In the of these Adrch for his committee has
thrown the Payne bill aside and reported tariff bill which
not diminish taxes but increases them Worse than that it
taxes in such way that the suffer- the
Treasury will gain little nothing and the profits
VIII be inflated One why Mr. Taft decided the
Payne bill with all its defects bid
National deficit By lowering duties imports
stead of prohibiting them and thus actually produce
Adrh bill will exclude imports eectuay the Dngley
do and thus reduce the income Government below what
it is
The question is What will do about the Adrich bill?
VIII he meey accept and thus break all promises he has
made concerning the tariff Undoubtedly his upon bill
viii determine much of the character of his administration If
puts aside his convictions accepts dcaion from
another natural that he will do the again and
again. sturdy resistance resoute determination to do
his duty would make him master the situation next four
years. while if he permits the tolls entange him the begin
ming of his administration how he hope hnself
It is much easier for free remain free than captive
regain his liberty Should Mr. Taft accept the Adrch bill he
would give color to the that the Senator Rhode Island
IS the real President of the United States
But all this speculation probably idle people did not
make Mr. Taft President for the sake of furnishing Mr. Arh
convenient tool They elected him they believed he had
ound convictions and the will enforce them Nobody knows
his better than Mr. Taft himself Nobody understands better than
le that If he makes for himself great President it
Will be by pursuing the difficult and dangerous road of
bsoue independence He solve his problems He must
eep his promises If he should accept the Adrch bill he would
wade solving his first problem and he would promises
which things he is not likely do either as temporary
nakesht the Adrch bill is than nothing cannot meet
ne deficit settle business unrest since tariff agitation
m certainly continue until the country obtains substantial relief
Mr. Taft should approve the Adrch BILL therefore his critics
oud with pausib that delivered himself over
the reactonares while his defenders might find it difficult to
rame convincing apology a