Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-29
Keynote Document Sent
Mckinley Boost for
the Party.
POINTS TO CONGRESS
ReiterateS Demand That There
Be a Further Revision of
the Tariff.

New York, Aug. 29-President Taft
declares that the achievements Of the
present congress surpass those that
have marked any other period in the
history of the republican party. He
makes this assertion in the letter ad-
dressed to Congressman William B.
Mckinley, chairman of the republican
congressional campaign committee,
which he prepared for the congression-
al handbook. The text of the letter
was made public yesterday at the COM
mittees New York headquarters.
Refers to HsDinerences.-
Differences within the party were
manifested in the two sessions of the
present congress- says the president,
"and yet never in it's history has the
republican party passed and become
responsible for as much useful and
progressive legislation.
THE present congress has not only
fulfilled many party pledges, but it has
by its course set higher the standard
of party responsibility for such pledges
than ever before in the history of
American parties
Makes Plea for Unity.
contains an urgent plea that republi-
cans of all factions bury their primary
campaign differences when once candi-
dates are nominated and unite for the
success of the party.
Most important and indicating his de-
termination to rally the insurgents to
the party standard in the election cam
paign is the presidents advocacy Of
further revision of the tariff as fast as
recommendations are made by the tar
iff commission. President Taft does
not back down on former statements
that the new act is big step in ad-
vance and is, on the whole, a revision
downward, but he dwells at some
length on the need of making further
changes in schedules as soon as the
tariff commission completes its inves-
LEGATIONS of any particular item.
The president reviews the more i'm
portant legislation enacted by congress
in fulfllment of the pledges contained
in the national platform of 1908, and
says "it is Of the utmost importance to
make this a campaign of education as
to facts and to clear away the clouds
of Misrepresentation that have obscur-
ed the real issues"
What Party Has Done.
Accomplishments of the present re-
publican congress cited by the presi-
dent include the following:
Amendments to the interstate
commerce act giving the COM
merce commission greater power
in regulating the operation of rail-
roads and the fixing Of rates.
Enactment of a postal savings
bank law.
Important labor legislation.
Action tending toward proper
conservation of natural resources.
Fulillment of New Mexico and
Arizona statehood pledges.
Passage of a law requiring the
publication of detailed statements
of expenditures by congressional
campaign committees.
Appropriation of 100000 for in
vesigation of methods of reducing
governmental expenditures.
Reduction of $20,000,00O in ap-
propriations for the year.
Arguments for Voters.
"As the chairman of the national
congressional republican committee,
says the president in addressing Mr.
Mckinley, you have asked me to give
the reasons which should lead voters
in the coming November elections to
cast their ballots for republican can
didates for congress.
II assume that when this letter is
given publicity the lines will be drawn,
the party candidates will have been Sc
lected, and the question for decision
will be whether we shall have in the
house of representatives a republican
or a democratic majority.
Question of Parties.
THE question, then, will be not what
complexion of republican ism one pre-
fers but whether it is better for the
country to have the republican party
control legislation for the next two
years and further redeem its promises
or to enable a democratic majority in
the house either to interpose a veto to
republican measures, or to formulate
and pass bills to carry out democratic
principles.
Prominence has been given during
the preliminary canvasses just ended
to the differences between republicans
but in the election such differences
should be forgotten. Differences within
the party were manifested in the two
-