The San Francisco call., 1910-03-19


Taft tonight in an address before the
Rochester chamber of cemerce, again
appealed to members of congress TO
sacrifice their individual opinions that
the platform promises of the republican
party might be fulfilled and that the
party might show that it has ''the sense
and the discipline to meet its reSpon-
sibilities"
The impression was abroad that the
president might have something to say
tonight on the acute situation in the
house of representatives at Washing
ton but this was his nearest refer
ence to the subject. At one point or
his speech, which was devoted entirely
TO the legislation he had recommended
in the last few months, the president
further declared:
If this congress is to be treated as
a republican congress sthese things
ought to pass in fulfillment of party
pledges. After this is done it does not
mater what happens at at the next
election. We will have done some-
thing. the country will be grateful
whether it thinks it ought to express
this gratitude in the immediate future
or not
CHEERED BUSINESSMEN
Taft constantly was interrupted by
applause, and when. toward the end of
| his remarks. he declared with great
emphasis that he had tried as presi-
dent to do what he believed was right
rather than those things that would
bring political strength, the audience
of nearly thousand businessmen stood
up and cheered for several minutes.
His reception was the most demonstra-
tive he has had in his recent travels.
He was followed as a speaker at the
banquet by President w. c. Brown of
the New ork Central railroad. who paid
glowing tribute to hi mand told of
the progress and stability that had
come to the business world since his
inauguration.
President Taft summed up the things
he declared had caused some of his ad-
visers to characterize him bad
politician.
First. he said. there was the tariff
law and new tariff bill always de-
feats a party
Second, had come the corporation tax,
! bringing with it the enmity of every
body directly or Indirectly interested
in the more than 40o,0 900 corporations
affected.
Third. there was the alleged" postal
deficit charged to the carrying of mag
azines and periodicals at cent a
pound.
Fourth. congress only reduced the
duty on print paper so per cent, in
And last of all, the postal savings
bank bill had turned all the bankers
against the administration.
MEASURES HE WANTS
The president referred to the meas
ures that he hoped congress would
adopt at this session in the following
| order:
The bill amending the interstate
| commerce law.
| The bill for postal savings banks.
The antf-inJunction bill.
| The statehood bill.
The conservation bills.
| After, he had explained briefly the
provisions of these measures the presi-
! dent continued:
One great difficulty about being
president. and | assure you there
are great many of them. is. he is
the ,titular head of the party and is
| made responsible for the laws
| adopted by the party. although he
has had nothing more TO do with
! them than recommendation at the
beginning and the uower of veto
! at the end. He is held responsible
for the promises made by the party
And If in his enthusiasm and
and to help the country' as he
thinks-he goes about and consults
all the interests so as TO recon-
! mend fair law and makes sug-
| gestions to congress and some con-
gressmen differ with him he is held
up as a tyrant trying TO force his
views down the throats of unwil-
| ling congressman and unwilling
| senators.
DEVIL AND DEEP SEA
And SO he is in a bad fix On
the one hand it is said of him that
he is not doing what he ought to
do and on the other hand he is
| trying to frighten an unwilling
congress to do what it does not
! want TO do.
But this is government of
/ party. If it were not a govern
ment of party We might as well go
out of the government business,
for We will never get ahead with
out parties. How are you going
to give expression to the varying
| views of 90.000.000 people and put
| them into the form of legislation
to be agreed upon by a majority
of your representatives and sena-
tors unless you organize parties TO
! select those representatives and
senator's and agree within the party
predictions and opinions in favor
/ of certain fundamental principles
of improvement, in order to ad-
! vance which you are willing to
sacrifice all less important mat
| ters? Therefore you have to have
] what is known on the football
field as team work.
1t is now more than year since
the present administration began.
We had promised to revise the
| tariff and we did so. The opera
! tion of that law during the seven
months it has been in existence is
vindicating the pledge We made for
II. comparison with the preced-
ing law shows the new law to be
/ good revenue producer. shows a
reduced percentage in rates of duty
and an increased percentage of
articles on the free list.
/ Business has increased and pros
/ perity is here. Conditions are all
/ that could be hoped according to
4 the measure of the businessman
CUTTING DOWN EXPENSES
We have been trying to cut down
4 expenses at Washington. The es-
Inmates for the next fiscal year are