The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-24
TAFT HARMONY PLAN.
The President Hopes to Unite the Fac
tions of His Party.

Beverly, Mass, Aug.24-President
Taft's keynote speech for the congress
sional campaign has become known
here. The president will favor further
revision of the tariff.
While he is still convinced that the
Payne-Aldrich law is the best tariff
law the country has had up to this
time, he has at last reached the con-
clusion that there is decided room for
Improvement.
Mr.. Taft does not propose that busi-
ness shall be upset by another whole
sale revision, but will recommend to
congress that Individual schedules in
the tariff system be taken up separate
ly and be disposed of on a scientific
basis.
The new revision is to be based upon
the findings of the tariff commission
as to the cost of production at home
and abroad. Only fair profit is to be
allowed the American producer "Ex-
tortionate and unreasonable profits,
the president declares are to be toll
Grated no longer. The president has
stated these facts and has outlined his
position in detail in the letter he has
sent to Representative Mckinley of
Illinois, for publication in the Repub-
lican campaign text book.
Political observers regard this move
as about the shrewdest that has been
made during the present administra-
ton. 1t offers an excellent opportun-
ity for the insurgents and the regulars
to get together in the campaign and
President Taft has been exceedingly
anxious to find ground upon which
either faction could meet without en-
barrassment to the other
The principal fight of the insurgents
was on some schedules of the tariff
bill. Here Taft is meeting them more
than half way in admitting that indi-
vidual schedules need further revision.
At the same time he is backing up the
regulars in that he believes they did
the best they possibly could with the
unreliable information that was in
their hands.
With the creation of the tariff board
under the Payne-Aldrich act and the
enlargement of its powers by provision
OF the last congress, the president be-
lieves way has been opened to put
the tariff on scientific basis for the
first time in the history of the country
The objection has been raised and
urged upon the president that the
opening of an individual schedule of
the tariff would mean the possible
throwing open the entire tariff act,
with another long debate and a stirring
up of conditions generally
Mr.. Taft proposes to meet this with
the recommendation to congress be-
fore. any schedule is taken up for fur
Their consideration, a rule shall be
passed both by the house and by the
SSHdlO pTOVlOlnR IndI amendments TO
a certain schedule of the tariff shall be
in order, and that any amendment not
germane to that particular schedule
shall be declared out of order. The
president takes the ground that it was
impossible to revise the tariff imme-
diately after the Republican platform
was adopted and to revise at the same
time on basis of the difference in the
cost of production at home and abroad.
He believes that substantial progress
was made in the Payne-Aldrich act,
and now that the tariff commission
has got its inquiries well under way, it
soon will be possible to take up indivi-
dual schedules as fast as the facts and
figures are available and revise them
actually on the basis declared for in
the party platform.
The president already has had two
conferences with Chairman H. c.
Emery of the tariff commission this
summer