East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-12-20

Copyright. 1910. by the United Press)
Washington, Dec. 2O.-The purpose
of this article is to give newspaper
readers an intimate. personal view of
their president, william Howard Taft
Just as II 1t were possible for each one
to call upon him today at the white
in his mind. 1t is designed to bring
the reader face to face with the pres
ident $50 he may hear why Mr.. Taft
Is fighting an effort to destroy his
non-partissn, permanent tariff conn
mission plan. 1t purposes to let the
reader hear, from him, the reasons
why every American should swell
with pride at ths successful construc-
tion of the great Panama canal.
The writor found the president bus
lily engaged. confronted on all sides
by appeals OF congressman, chickering's
OF politicians, demands of offlceseek-
ers, and yet withal serene. earnest. and
cheerfuly optimistic.
The trained judicial mind of the
chief magistrate was quickly concen-
tratod upon the subjects which his
caller suggested for discussion. He
was all attention, all interest, whether
talking personally or listening; he was
alert. enthusiastic, forceful.
The visitor seated and Immediately
put at his case by the presidents ge-
niality; then followed a conversation
bearing upon two subjects, chosen
from dozens Of topics The perma-
nent tariff commission was taken up
first. The president freely. gave his
personal opinions and beliefs which
form the basis of his earnest hope
of making the commission plan an
accomplished fact A white house
rule prohibits direct quotation of the
president, but in the following an at
tempt is made faithfully to give his
ideas as he expressed them to the
writer.
The Tariff Commission.
The permanent tariff commission
will provide the necessary oasis ior
intelligent legislation, no matter by
what party or to what end. II the
democrats are Champ Clark and not
"Chump" Clarks they will support it.
No scientific revision of the tariff is
possible without true facts upon
which to base 1t, and the facts are OBJ
tainable in no other way. 1t is be-
yond the ability of any body of men
working temporarily on the tariff, tc
collect and digest the vast amount OF
detailed information which must be
considered in making of the tariff.
The tariff commission will be a per-
manent institution, where from yeal
to year data and information requir'
ed in such work will be sorted, cata'
logued and digested in such a way
as to be ready for instant use. 1t will
be to the tariff what the COMPRESSION
al library Is to literature. You car
send a note to the library, saying yot
are working upon certain subjec
and you are Immediately provided
with all the best reference books ant
records on that topic.
Call for NOn-Partisanship.
What difference does 1t max,
whether democrats or republicans ar
engaged in tariff legislation. The worl
cannot be properly accomplished with
out the facts upon which 1t is based
Without a tariff commission, tn
making of q tariff must be based up
on such knowledge as the variou
members are able to obtain and inev
itably in such event. the interests o
one section of the country as agains
the interests of another arise as argu
ments that often overshadow tn