New-York tribune., 1910-07-23
DON'T OUTTAFT TAFT.


In view of the conflicts, in some in
stances incipient and in others well de-
veloped, which are taking place between
the various state platform builders,
Word of reminder to those enga ged
ia this important work is expedient.
Prompted, no doubt unconsciously, by
irritation with those insurgents who
voted against the Payne tariff bill, and a
number of whom have since antagonized
the administration, some of the loyal
supporters of the President are seeking
to secure the adoption Of an indorse-
ment of his administration which in
cludes commendation of the Payne bill
far more hearty than Mr.. Taft has him
self given it, and one SO sweeping that
it would constitute menace to Repub-
iican success. Both as matter of fact
and of good politics such a course is
inadyiSabie-
President Taft, on the day he signed
the Payne bill, made public a statement
of his position, in which he said ia part ::
/ have signed the Payne tariff bill be-
cause / believe it to be the result of a
sincere effort on the part of the Re-
publican party TO make a downward
revision and to comply with the prom
generally understood, and as / inter
preted them in the campaign before cleo
ton. The bill is not a perfect tariff
bill or a complete compliance with the
promises made. strictly interpreted, but
q fulflment free from criticism in re-
spect to subject matter involving many
schedules and thousands of articles
Ia f@o axod
The authority to the President to use
agents to assist him in the application
of the maximum and minimum section
of the statute and to enable officials to
administer the law gives a wide lati-
tude for the acquisition, under circun-
stances favorable to its truth, of infor-
nation in respect to the price and cost
of production Of goods at home and
abroad which will throw much light on
the operation of the present tariff and
be of primary Importance as officially
collected data upon which future eXecu-
tive action and executive recommended
tionS may be based.
AS stated in his own words, Mr. Taft'S
position is one to which few, if any, in
sUrgents can object, and they should be
accepted as the guide of all platform
builders in the approaching campaign.
President Taft Is not stand -patter, ~
and no assertion Of the ''stand-pat'' posi-
ton is essential to a cordial Endorsement
| OF the President and his administration.
Such an assertion might be the means.
however. Of injuring the President and
his administration, because of the dan
ger that it would estrange Republicans
| of progressive tendencies, and so initiate
against Republican success.
Good politics demands travel on the
lines of least resistance, always provided
! that the direction is the proper one 1t
is futile by force. moral Or otherwise. to
attempt TO compel people, even Repub-
licans. to accept the PAYNE bill as the
wisest legislation which coulu be ell
acted. II is almost useless 10 argue with
those whose minds are made UP to the
contrary. 1t follows, therefore, that it
| is bad politics to attempt to force down
the throats of a portion Of the party, be
it large or small, an Endorsement 10
which they can not or will not subscribe.
On the other hand. the highest credit
attaches TO the party for creating the
machinery whereby the facts can be as
certalned, and too much emphasis can
not be placed on that achievement, an
emphasis which constitutes quite as
much of a tribute to the President and
his administration as anything else
which could be said of the tariff bill.
Mr.. Taft himself regards il as the most
important achievement in the tariff bill.
and 1T Is especially notable now that the
Democrats have no fixed tariff policy,
but embrace ever variety of projections
ist. BY contrast, the Republican party
has made a revision which involves some
material reductions Of the duties, has
declared itself unequiyocally in favor of
It tariff which shall measure the differ
ence between the cost of production at
home and abroad plus reasonable
profit for the manufacturer. and has
created the machinery whereby that diff
ference can he ascerta ined with eer-
tainty and eXactness. This record con-
stitutes abundant material for platform
declarations and obyiates all necessity
for the inclusion of any assertion which
would inevitably eStrange that large ele-
ment of the party who designate them
selves as progressive Republicans.
In d word, platform builders should
govern themselves by the dictates of
common sense rather than of spleen, and
should not delude themselves with the
idea that in visiting their wrath on the
insurgents they are promoting the glory
OF the Taft administration.