The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-29
TAET,S GREAT MISTAKE.
The Baltimore Sun says that in no

asserting his leadership, President TAFT
has made the great mistake of his ADJ
mlntstration.a. and we think SO, too;
that is to say, we think Mr.. Taft made
great mistake when he did not veto
the Payne-1lldrich Tariff bill. We
thought so At the time OF its passage.
and we have never changed our view.
We urged Mr.. Taft TO this course. and
we are sorry that he did not knock
ii on the head at the time of its pass
age. That would have made him un-
questionabiy the biggest man in his
party, as we believe him to be anyhow
and 1t would nave SO emphasized the.
tariff question that no succeeding Cons
gross, during his administration at
least, would have dared TO play fast
and loose with this question.
rho Baltimore paper rcproaches
Mr.. TAFT for having stood aside
and permitted men like Aldrich
and Cannon to guide the party.
and subject 1t to sinister In
nuentcs.'' and then it draws a parallel
between Mr.. Tafts course in this case
and, that OF Mr.. Cleveland. When
democrats tic Congress enacted a tariff
law which did not entirely meet his
Views Of what the party owed to the
people, president Cleveland denounced
1t as perfidy and dishonor. and rcfus-
Z ed to sign the bill. When a Republican
Congress enacted tariff law which Mr..
Taft knew to be d betrayal of plighted
faith and perfidy and dishonor, he was
induced by the sinister influences which
surrounded himito proclaim the Payne
Aldrich law the best tariff law the
country ever lad. That was the great
error OF his Administrations
AS matter of fact, however. Mr..
Taft did not proclaim the Payne-Aldrich
law as. the best. tariff law the country
ever had. In approving the bill. our
baltimore contemporary will probably
recollect, Mr.. Taft stated frankly his
objections - the measure. and his rea-
sons for giving 1t his approval. II was
+ rot until after the bill had become a
law hat Mr.. Taft said 1t was the best
tariff bill the Republican party had
ever made. The difference between Mr..
Cleveland and Mr.. Taft In this case was
that Mr.. Cleveland. While declaring the
German bills to be perndious and dis
honorable. tailed to veto 1t; Mr.. TAFT.
after saying that the Payne Aldrich
bill was not compliance with the
pledges of the party in power, signed
it. SO that IS W ould seem nlat practi-
ca1Iy Mr.. Cleveland and Mr.. Taft did
the Same thing the German bill be-
coming a law against Mr. Cleveland's
objections, hut no: over his veto. and
the Payne-Aldrich bill becoming law
against Mr.. Taft's objections. but with
his approval.
However this may be, we wish the
baltimore papertGr SONG other author
lily would tells,ds NOW anything what
ever could have been accomplished by
the President without the aid and sup
port of Aldrich and Cannon hey repre-
sent In the Two Houses of Congress the
Republicanepar and without theirco-
operation. the President wouldn not have
been able able to carry out any Of the pur-
posesrof his Administration, or any or
The pledges Of the party. Besides the
Payne-Aldricn law Is so utterly bad
1hatft the Democrats should feel them
serves indebted to the President for
having made for them an issue upon
which they can achieve victory in 1912.
- ==----=---