Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-13
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crowded the Aston gallery alongside. The
ballroom itself was filled to OVERCOMING.
The decorations were made ND prfncl-
pally of American flags ind shields.
over the speakers table blazed the men,
orabie words of Lincoln:
with malice toward none with char
Robert c. Morris. president of the club.
was the POSTMASTER. At his right sat
President Taft. at his left was Gov.
Hughes. Speaker Cannon had been ex-
pected. but he sent letter of regrets
Besides the President Gov. Hughes
Gov. Fort and Gov. Weeks delivered adj
dresses.
Speaker Cannons letter said in part
Your President and mine, who is with
you tonight is worthy successor to Lin
coin. and he is called upon to exercise
some Of the patience that characterized
Lincoln's administration. especially In
your great metropolis, where extremes IN
advice are always in evidence, and par
ticularly at the present time.
Here's toast to Mr.. Taft: May he
continue to disappoint both extremes,
the policies of the great majority of the
people who placed this responsibility
upon him, needing neither the demands
of those who want to blow up the engine
nor the fears of those who would have
the fire under the boiler put out And
have confidence in his ability to do 1T
Maintain Party Standard.
President Taft said:
Mr. President. Gentlemen of the Re-
publican Club and Fellow Guests: LIE
birthday of the man whose memory
we celebrate tonight is an appropriate
occasion for renewing our expressions
of respect and affection for the republic
can party, and our pledges to keep the
ri
this country as high and useful as 1t
was during the administration of Abra-
ham Lincoln The trials which he NAG
TO undergo as President, the political
storms which the party had to weather
during the civil war. the divisions in the
party itself between the radical anu
slavery element and those who were
most conservative in observing the con-
stitutional limitations, are most inter-
esting reading and serve to dwarf ana
minimize the trial" through which the
restore a sense of proportion to those
who allow themselves to be daunted
and discouraged. In the face OF a loss
of popular confidence thought to be IN
dictated by the tone of the press.
I'm what respect has the republican
party failed i'll its conduct OF the gov
perform its duty? 1t was returned to
power year ago last November by
very large majority, after a campaign
in which it maze certain promises In
either substantially complied with or
ii is about to perform within the present
session of Congress.
Promises Made the Country.
Let us take up these promises in
order:
In the republican platform of last
year. upon which the campaign was
made, appears the following plank in
regard to the tariff:
THE republican party declares I'M
equivocally for the revision of the tariff
by special session of Congress inn
mediately following the inauguration of
steps already taken to this end in the
work assigned to the appropriate commit
tees of Congress which are now investi-
eating the operation and effect of exist
ing schedules. In all tariff legislation the
true principle of protection is best main
tanned by the imposition of such duties as
will equal the difference between the cost
of production at home and abroad, to-
gether with a reasonable profit to Ameri-
can industries. We favor the establish
ment of maximum and minimum rates
TO be administered by the President under
limitations fixed in the law. the maximum
to be available to meet determinations by
foreign countries against American goods
entering their markets. and the minimum
to represent the normal measure of pro-
lection at home, the aim and purpose of
the republican policy being not only to
preserve, without excessive duties, that
security against foreign competition to
which American manufacturers, farmers
and producers are entitled. but also to
maintain the high standard of living OF
the wage earnerS of this country, who
are the most direct beneficiaries of the
protective system. Between the United
States and the Philippines We believe In
a free interchange of products with such
limitations as to sugar and tobacco as
protection domestic
interests
Difficulties of Revision.
We did revise the tariff. 1t is i'm
possible to revise the tariff without awak-
ening the active participation in the for
nation of the schedules of those pro-
ducers whose business will be affected by
a change. This is the inherent difficulty
in the adoption or revision of tariff by
our representative system
Nothing was expressly said in the plat
form that this revision was to be a
downward revision. The implication
that 1t was to be generally downward,
however. was fairly given by the fact
that those who uphold a protective tariff
system defend it by the claim that after
an industry has been established by
shutting out foreign competition the
domestic competition will lead to the
reduction in price so as to make the
original high tariff unnecessary.
I'm the new tariff there were 654 de-
creases. 30 increases and 1.15O items of
Inc dutiahle list unchanged. but this
did not represent the fair proportion in
most of the reductions and the in
,..easeS, because the duties were de-
creased on those articles which had
consumption value nearly $5,0OOG0O,U0o,
while they were increased on those ar
'icles which had consumption value
of less than Sl.O0o.00.00O. OF the in
creases the consumption value of those
affected which are of luxuries, to wit,
silks. wines, liquors, perfumeres. po-
mades and like articles, amounted to
nearly S6OO0O0.oe0, while the increase
not OH articles of luxury affected by
about S5o0.W0.HN, as against decreases
on about sJOO0.O00,tW0 of consumption.
Real Downward Revision.
Il repeat, therefore. that this was a
downward revision. 1t was not down
ward with reference 10 silks or liquors
or high priced eottons in the nature of
luxuries 1t was downward in respect
TO nearly all other articles except
woolens. which were not affected at all.
Certainly il was not promised that the
rates OF luxures should be reduced The
revenues were falling off. there was
deficit nromiSpd and IL WAS essential