New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-15
From Tho Tribune Bureau;

Washington, March a.
nix. TAFr'S MTSTAKE.--When William
Howard Taft took the oath of his high
cfflce' year ago, he solemnly swore that
he would TO The best Of my ability pre-
serve, protect and defend the Constitution
OF the United states" Unfortunately Cor
Mr.. Taft, according to some OF his critics.
lie entered office with a reasonable famil-
iarlty with the Constitution and has taken
ms oath OF office entirely too seriously. He
mas warmly cherished the WORKOUT fallacy
That the government Of the United States IS
composed of three coordinate branches.
mat only the executive power" is vested
in the President, and that for the President
to seek TO exert his power over the legis-
lative branch Of the government would he
inconsistent with that preservation of the
Constitution to which he stands pledged.
These obsolete notions regarding the
Constitution and the limitations it places
on the Chief Executive have hampercd Mr..
Taft at every turn, and such criticisms as
have been directed at his course are based
almost entirely on his strict constitutional
views. on tho other hand, the only logical
Inference TO be drawn from the criticisms
of his course is that strict conformity to
such limitations is no longer desired by the
people and that the Constitution itself has
become as i'll fitted TO the present needs of
the nation as have the styles of dress popu-
lar at the time it was framed.
UNWRITTEN HTSTORY.-Long before
Mr.. Taft took the oath Of office, but after
he had been chosen by great popular ma
jority OF his fellow citizens he faced the
first problem. which involved his concep-
ton OF the duties of the Chief Executive.
\ campaign with which he was in entire
sympathy had passed over the laad-a cam
paign against the reelection of Joseph q.
Cannon as Speaker of the House OF Repre-
sentatiyes. Mr.. Taft sincerely hoped that
4 new and more progressive Speaker would
be chosen for the 61st Congress. That was
in the autumn of 1905 When this campaign
had reached its crisis the opportunity was
presented TO the Presidcnt-elect TO give the
coup de grace to the Illinois statesman who
sought reelection as presiding officer and
leader of the popular chamber in the legis-
lative branch of the government. Many of
Mr.. Tafts most earnest friends urged him
TO take the single step necessary to insure
Mr.. Cannon's defeat. But the shadow OF
his oath of office was over him, and he re-
fused Convinced that he was not the less
pledged to support the Constitution because
lie had not yet taken his inaugural oath,
he asserted his conviction that such an act
would be an unWarranted interference by
the Executive with the legislative branch
of The government, and therefore that he
could not act. Ever since he has been
compelled to bear the onus of Mr.. Cannon's
reelection, and there is little doubt that
many people sincerely regard him as the
Speakers champion.
TARIFF LEGISLATION.-When the SEN
ate was framing the Payne tariff bill
many representations were made to Presi-
dent Taft regarding the character of the
work being done by Congress. He was adj
vised that the bill, as completed, would
not conform to his idea of tariff revision
downward. and that certain interests, nota-
bly, the wool growers and manufacturers.
We're eXerting undue influence to prevent
the fulnlment of the party pledges and
of his own. Unfortunately. perhaps, Mr.
Taft could not turn n deaf ear TO the
words: ''All legislative powers herein
granted shall be vested in a Congress of
the United States. which shall consist OF Il
Senate and House of Representatives" Il
have no right under the Constitution 10 in