The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-29
Says Forget Differences Until
After the Election.
THE ISSUE is PLAIN.
1t Is Now a Contest With the
Democrats.
Submits a Long Defense of the
Payne Tariff Bill.

New York. Aug. 29.-President
Taft's letter to w. B. Mckinley, chair
man of the Republican congressional
committee, has been made public by
the New York headquarters of the
committee. The president in the COM
munication says that differences be-
tween Republicans should be forgot
ten in the congressional election and
that "all Republicans who believe in
the party principles as declared in its
national platform of 1908, should give
the candidates loyal and effective sup
port. If this is done there will be no
doubt of a return of Republican ma
jority.''
AS to the tariff, the president says:
"It seems to me that all Republi-
cans-conservative, progressive and
radical-may we'll abide the situation
with respect to the tariff until evil
dence now being accumulated shall
justify changes in the rates.
Mr.. Taft's plan for revision by con-
gress of individual schedules after in
vestigation by the tariff commission. is
discussed in this connection.
The president reviews the more inn
portant legislation enacted by con-
gress, in fulfillment of its promises and
says sit is of the utmost importance to
| make this a campaign of education as
to facts and clear away the clouds OF
misrepresentation that have obscured
the real issues
The letter follows in part:
Beverly, Mass, Aug. 20, 1910.
my Dear Mr.. Mckinley:
LAS the chairman of the national
congressional Republican committee
you have asked me to give the reasons
which 1 should lead voters in the COM
ing November election to cast their
ballots for Republican candidates for
congress.
81 assume that when this letter is
given publication, the lines will be
drawn, the party candidates will have
been selected and the question for de-
cision will be whether we shall have
in the house of representatives Re-
publican or a Democratic majority.
The question then will be not what
complexion of Republicanism one pre-
fers. but whether it is better for the
country to have the Republican party
control the legislation for the next
two years and further redeem its
promises or to enable Democrat ma
a veto to Republican measures, or to
formulate and pass bills to carry out
Democratic principles.
Let Differences Be Forgotten.
prominence has been given during
the preliminary canvasses just ended
to the differences between Republi-
cans; but in the election such differ
ences should be forgotten. Differences
within the party were manifested in
the two sessions of the present con-
the Republican party passed and be-
come responsible for as much useful
and progressive legislation.
so while issues will doubtless arise
between members of the Republican
majority, as to the details of further
legislation the party as a whole will
show itself in the future. as in the
past, practical and patriotic in sub
ordinating individual opinions in order
to secure real progress. Hence it is i'm
portant that after Republican congress
sional candidates have been duly and
fairly chosen, all Republicans who be-
lieve in the party principles as declar-
ed in it's national platform of 1908,
should give the candidates loyal and
effective support. If this is done, there
will be no doubt of a return of Re-
publican majority. The only other
alternative Is a Democratic majority.
we may reasonably assume, however.
that a Democratic majority In the
house would reject the Republican
doctrine Of protection as announced in
1908.
What, therefore, has a Republican
who believes in protection but objects
to some rates or schedules in the
present tariff act to hope for from a
Democratic majority which if allowed
its way would attack the protective
system and halt business by a threat
ened revision of the whole tariff on
revenue basis, or IL prevented by the
senate or the executive would merely
do nothing?"
President Taft then discusses the
promises made and the legislation en-
acted by the present congress, discuss
ing in detail the tariff, the number of
reductions and increases made, and
quoting the memorandum he made
when he signed the bill. Continuing,
the letter says:
'"The tariff bill has been criticised
for certain of its rates and schedules.
Some of the criticisms are just and
some are wide of the mark and most
unjust.
"T,he truth is that under the old
protective idea the only purpose was
to make the tariff high enough to
protect the home industry. The ex-
cess of the tariff over the difference
in the cost of production here and
abroad, was not regarded as objec-
tionab1e because it was supposed that
competition between those who en-
joyed the high protection would keep
the price for the consumer down to
what was reasonable for the manu-
facturer. The evil of excessive tariff
rates, however, showed itself in the
temptation of manufacturers to COM
| bine and suppress competition and
then to maintain the price so as to
take advantage of the excess of the
tariff over the difference between the
| cost of production abroad and here.
The Payne Tariff.
"The Payne tariff bill is the first bill
| passed by the Republican party in
which the necessity for reducing rates
| to avoid this evil has been recognized.
and it is therefore decided step in
| the right direction, and it ought to
| be accepted as such. On the whole,
it was a downward revision, particu-
| larly on articles of necessity and on
raw materials. The actual figures on
| the first years operation of the law
demonstrate this. It must also be re-
|