New-York tribune., 1910-12-11
From The Tribune BureauI
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Washington. December 10
Mr. TAFT'S OPPORTUNITY.--A go4osn
opportunity is presented TO the PRESIDENT
in the opinion of some of his closest anu
most loyal advisers. TO unite the entre
progressive element Of the Repubhcan
party behind two of the most important
recommendations II his annual message
The first Of these is the creation OF a per-
manenc tariff commission. The other Il
the adoption OF the Cummins amendment
to the Senate and House rules whereby
the tariff may be revised schedule oy
schedule and fi1ibu.tering tactics on the
psrt Of the opposition rendered ineffective.
There is admittedly a wide divergence OF
opinion among the advocates of q pern1a-
nent tariff commission as TO the character
of commission which should be created,
bu. /. is urged that if President Taft takes
the lead now. before the members of the
two houses have too far committed them
selves to details, many OF the Progress1Ves
will rally to his support and the feeling Is
strong that the effort would be well worth
while. The President outlines fairly clear
II in his message the type of commission
which he would most favor, and SAYS that
he sees no serious objection TO increasing
-1s membership Of the board from three to
I'VE. he remarks THAT tiISS IL q NciS COhA-
venient number, but IL is argued that the
increase OF popular confidence and the gen
eraI belief that the work could be performed
more ra apidlv by q commission of larger pro-
portion would more than offset such incon-
venience as might result from increasing
the membership.
SCHEDULE BY SCHEDULE.-Nothing
in connection with the tariff has so strong
" appealed to popular fancy since James
G. Blaine first suggested the policy or
reciprocity as the proposition to revise the
existing tariff law schedule by schedule
AS was well said in the campaign just end
ed the old division between the two great
parties on the tariff has been obllterated
The Democrats could not muster cor
porars guard IN support of a free trade
platform The American people as a whole
are protectionists. and the dissatisfac ct1on
with the PAYNE tariff law is one of degree
and method. not Of principle. The pro-
tectivs policy Is one Of the most valuable
assets of the Republican party. but the
people have become thoroughly dissatisfied
with it's administration, and just at TINS
time a Republican President proposes
new method of administration, a revision
schedule by schedule, which appeals
strongly to the people of all sections and
both parties Just at a time when the Re
n1JhlicsDs have discovered the error OF their
method and the entire people have become
converted 10 the soundness of the new pol
lev. the Democratic leaders, with their usual
perspicuity, have determined that the OLD
method is the only proper one. q fact when
makes II not the less opportune for the Re-
publican party 70 take an unequ1vocal po-
sirion on the advanced ground. In the
course of the next few days these facts
will he urged upon the President He VIII
h. told OF the demand for him TO lend 10
the party a vigorous and aggressive lead
ers1jn. and there are many who believe he
will respond TO the call To that END IL
will he necessary for him TO make evident
n the .'old guard leaders in the Senate
his earnest desire that they give their sup
port to the Cunnn1ins amendment, lor II
ie IN the Senate that most difficulty will
ba experienced. Indeed, II is asserted that
= Mr. Taft can be induced TO place hlmssh
soIJareIv behind the proposition no 0lTl,
cIiI4v worth mentioning viii pe encountered
in the House
INSURGENTS REASONABLE.-Certa N
members of the administration who have
been sounding sentiment among the lnsur-
gents assert that. while they are disposed
70 talk cockiIv of the results Of the election
and TO insist that the votes demonstrated
the correctness Of their views, they are