Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-24

reiterated, with emphasis, his statement
that no engagements for callers will be
made in the next five or six days and
that the President must have time to pre-
pare his views for Congress.
Three subjects of the message will
stand out in their interest and Importance.
First from a political standpoint, will be
the recommendations on tariff revision, If
the President concludes that it is possible
to do something at the coming short ses-
sion. But on this subject the President
has not framed his views, even tenta-
lively.
To Consult Tariff Board
The tariff board will be sent for and
an early conference held as to it's pre-
paredness to submit to the executive, who
would in turn submit to Congress, COM
plete figures relating to several tariff
schedules taken up by that body. The
woolen schedule is one Of these and the
pulp schedule is another.
The whole country is watching the
wOolen proposition. Every newspaper and
magazine is affected by the pulp scheo-
ule. The President does not propose, it
is said, to rush these tariff matters be-
fore Congress.
Unless the tariff board is prepared to
submit the clearest and most convincing
figures for action by Congress, then the
probability is that no recommendations
will be made for schedule revision at the
coming session. Should, however, there
be something definite and tangible to
present, there is believed to be i,,tle
doubt that the President will recommend
that Congress revise these schedules ac-
cording to scientific facts and figures that
may be laid before that body.
The President does not intend to ap
pr0ach the subject from considerations Of
POLITICAL capital or maneuvering He
will handle It in accordance with prom
ises made when he asked that the tariff
board be created, and in line with the
known demands of the country for down.
ward revision. The President believes,
though. that the country wants practical.
sensible, scientific revision. and that any
other sort will bring disaster to the men
or party attempting 1t.
After conferences with the tariff COM
mission and cabinet oficiais, with prob
ably half q dozen republican leaders who
may be in Washington, the President will
reach q decision as to what he will say.
advise the retention Of the commission
and the broadening of its powers.
Railroads and Trusts Problem.
Further railroad legislation and trust
law phases will come in as Of next i'm
portance to the tariff. The President has
been on record for years as favoring a
law for federal incorporation Of corpora
tions. He may urge that the republi-
cans, before turning the House over to
the democrats put through q law Of this
kind.
Undoubtedly he will recount what has
been done by the administration in en-
forcement of the Sherman antitrust law
His discussion of this subject will natur-
ally be cautious. in view Of the big trust
cases pending in the United States Su-
preme Court and to be settled the coming
winter.
The Presidents regard for the court will
prevent his saying anything in his mes
sage that may be construed as an at
tempt to influence tnat body In handling
the Standard Oil and American Tobacco
been filed by the government suit for
the dissolution of the sugar trust.
AS to further control Of railroads, the
President has an open mind at this time
He is to confer with the stock and bond
commission authorized by the last ses-
sion of Congress. to consider the best
method Of federal supervision Of the is
sues of stocks and bonds by interstate
carriers. as well as control of the capi-
talization Of the roads, which would mean
their physical valuation by the govern
ment.
The commission is said not to be ready
to report. 1t may be ready, however, to
make suggestions to the President that
will aid him in recommendations.
The subject is enormously big and i'm
portant. 1t might as well be understood
that the President will not propose laws
that will cripple the business Of the coun-
try. While he wants further supervision
and control. especially in the interest of
investors in railroad securities, he wants
that control so managed that it will not
react upon the roads.
He wants to see railroad development
in this country. and believes that If the
vision they will find great increase in
public confidence In their management.
With federal incorporation. supervision
of capitalization and the issue Of securi-
ties, there will be about the most COM
p,ete set of laws for the railroads in any
country in the land. the President will
probably say.
But the recommendations may not alto
gether deal with further control Of inter-
state railroad systems. Mr. Taft is likely
to repeat former recommendation of his
own that the roads be given the right to
make traffic agreements. under certain
limitations. Mr.. Roosevelt also pressed
this right for the roads in several of his
messages
Canal Fertilization.
The thorough fortfcation of the
Panama canal will be strongly urged
upon Congress, either in the regular
message or in special message The
President is sure that the canal nears
completion there Is a growing patriotic
interest In IL among the American
people. He Is sure that the mass Of the
people will believe that the country
should fortify this great work, to be COM
pleted at such immense cost
The White House has not yet received
the report of the board Of army and navy
engineers that went to Panama some
months ago to consider the best means
and cost Of 'fortification defenses. This
board will prepare plans for the fortifi-
cations and submit them to the Presi-
dent.
The total cost will run into millions of
/ dollars. The President will unhesitat-
| ingly ask that Congress begin making
appropriations for this purpose. SO that
| when the canal is finished and ready for
| business the fortifications will be there
L for tvtn af a nit ifoJ