The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1909-08-12
President Taft Wields the
Roosevelt Z" Big Stick to
Good Purpose
SOME IMPORTANT REDUCTIONS
The Bill Contains a Number of Rates
Protecting the Industries of North
Carolina and the South-The Bill
Was Much Improved While In
Hands of Conference Committee
Democrats Inconsistent in Their
Vote on the Tariff-President

Special to The Caucasian:
Washington, d. c., Aug. 10. 1909.
The tariff fight which was waged
for more than four months came to
an end Thursday afternoon when
the bill was transmitted to the Pres
ident for his signature. Some days
ago the President got out the Roose-
welt big stick" and plainly inform
ed both sides of Congress that many
important reductions had to be made
on leading articles of general ne
cessity before he would sign the bill
The bill as it went to the President
for his signature, while not salts
factory to every one, as no tariff bill
ever was or ever will be. yet it is a
considerable improvement over the
form in which ;he9 bill passed the
House as we'll as the form in which
Fit passed the Senate.
The bill contains a number of
rates protecting the industries of
North Carolina and the South. For
some of these schedules both of the
North Carolina Senators voted, and
all of the Congressman except one.
1t Is true that these Congressman
and Senators had to violate their
party platform pledges in voting to
protect the interests of the State.
The explanation which they and their
friends give is that it was their duty
to vote for protection whenever and
wherever it would help the interests
of the State They deserve credit
for such votes, but it will be noticed
that when the final passage of the
bill came up, that these same Con-
gressmen and Senators every one ex-
eept two, recorded their votes to de-
feat the whole bill.
The Charlotte Observer has prais-
ed these Congressman and Senators
for their independence and courage
and patriotism in" castig their votes
for the schedules referred to, but
what will they say of their incon-
sistency in now voting against the
bill which contains these schedules
in the interests of the State? Would
1t not be wiser for the State here
after to send men to Congress who
belong to a party whose principles
are right and men who do not have
to violate their platform pledges to
vote for the States interests, and
also men who will vote not only for
certain schedules in the interests of
the State, but who will have the
courage to vote for the bill in it's
final passage which contains these
schedules? In short, whatever ben
eft North Carolina will derive from
protection will not be due to the
votes of the Democratic Senators and
Congressman who voted for them,
but it will be due to the fact that
there were not enough Congressman
and Senators of that kind here to
vote to kill the bill on it's final pass
age.
President Taft at Beverly.
President Taft left Washington
Thursday night to join his family at
their summer home at Beverly,
Mass, where he will remain until
September 18th when he will begin
his tour of the Western and South
ern States. He will visit Whining
ton, N. c., on November 9th. He
arrived at Beverly Friday morning
and has been enjoying quiet rest.
All OF the Senators and Congress-
men have gone to their respective
homes, and are now looking for
cracks that may have been made In
their fences during their long stay In
Washington.