New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-09

Washington. April S.
HIDING his LIGHT.-There is no more
hagrant v'Ol0tor II the precept not 10 hide
ones light under a bushel than William
Howard Taft. President OF the United
States Some time ago. as was duly chron-
icled IN The Tribune az the time. a group
Of labor leaders called az the White House
and urged the President to cause an in
vestig4tion 20 be made OF the labor condi-
tons in the steel industry. OF course, the
President granted the request, and the in
vestigation has been for some time in
progress. The hrsc material result OF that
investigation is the order OF The United
States Steel Corporation reducing Sunday
work 10 a minimum in all its subsidiaries
which gives one days rest each week 10
approximately thirteen thousand men who
have been working seven days q week. The
concrete fact Is that thirteen thousand men
have been materially benefited by the sym
pathetic course Of President Taft. but. 80
far as Mr.. Taft Is concerned. no one would
ever know the fact. The labor leaders
made public tie request they had preferred
10 the President The fact that he had
ordered the investigation became known TO
The Tribune correspondent. who urged the
President 70 permit its publication. Instead
OF secrecy on the correspondent. which was.
OF course. binding. until the information
had been obtained from another source
one Of The labor leaders who has acct
dentalIy become cognizant Of the fact that
the request tor an investigation has been
granted and who learns that the inyestiga-
tion has been for some time in progress,
not from the President. but from the Steel
Corporation. The secrecy which has at
tended this investigation has robbed il IN a
large degree OF its moral effect. Il has
robbed the Republican party OF credit to
which IL is clearly entitled. II has deprived
Mr. Taft o. an element Of popular strength
which should have accrued 10 him as head
II the party. and Il is only by mere acci-
dent that The Tribune Is now at liberty 70
point out that the credit for gaining thir-
teen Thousand men their Sunday rest is due
To the administration.
CABINET RESIGNATIONs.-w there
? ave been ~umo.s Of Cabinet designations
about Washington for some time. IL is
emrhaticaNy denied by those who have
been publicly mentioned as likely 10 resign
that they have any such intention. II is
noteworthy in connection with this subject
that one Of these rumors affects the Sec
Rotary q the Treasury. although no con-
yinciug reason is given ia support OF the
report. Il is a fact. however. that there
is an element in the party and in Congress
which would welcome the retirement Of Mr.. l
MacNe7Eh because OF his loyal support OF
the President with regard To the Tariff
Board. As has already been told in this
column. there IS strong opposition 70 the
appropriation 81 So o1o which Mr. Taft has
asked TO enable the Tariff Board 10 con
duct investigation into the cost OF various
protected articles here and abroad. and the
fact that Mr. NacVeagh agrees with the
President that such an appropriation
should be made and such work performed
Is sufficient in the ewes Of certain extreme
'stand-patters' 70 disqualify him for further
service in the Cabinet Ills support Of this
proposition has resulted in his being char
acJer1zed as a free trader" although he
IS not. on the contrary. he voted for
President Taft. and. while he was former
ly a Democrat. he is now a progressive
Republican Of the Taft Roosevelt tvae As
for Secretary Knox. he asserted positively
TO the writer and 70 others when the Cana
Gian tariff negotiations were in progress that
De was anxious that all credit for their
successful outcome should accrue 10 the
President, and was the reverse Of sensi-
tive when many newspapers gave credit
TO M Taft II is, in fact. Mr.. Knox's DO