The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-03-24
Washington Letter.

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WASHINGTON, D. c., March q. The second
year of President Taft's term has begun most
auspiciously. The work of Congress is furth-
or advanced than usual at this period and this
| means that many new and important laws will
be enacted in line with the Presidents recon.
mendations The passage of the Postal Saw
lngs Bank bill in the Senate. receiving every
Republican vote, indicates united action from
now on in support of the President and party
measures.
Not since the time of Henry Clay have we
had so earnest and successful pacificator in
public life as President Taft Without med
ding or interfering, yet ne has way of
bringing together different factions and con-
ciliating different views, not only here at Wash.
ington. but in the various States. Such action,
of course. is liable to be misunderstood, but
when the people learn that the President has
but one single purpose in mind, and that is to
bring about condition of affairs in the party
that means accomplishment and subsequent
success in the coming campaign they will APP
plaud and not criticize his efforts in this direc
ton.
1.-THE record Of Mr.. Taft's first year is one
that has rarely, if ever, been equaled since the
first year Of Mr.. Lincoln's administration. In
the first place the passage of great tariff act
like the Payne bill, which most substantially
revised the tariff, was in itself an accomplish
ment of no mean order. But the tariff law did
more than to make change in the schedules
and to bring about general lowering of duties
it provided for a maximum and minimum
tariff, by means of which the President has al
ready entered into practical treaties with all
the foreign countries, obtaining for this nation
the most favored clauses of their own tariffs.
Then there was the provision taxing the earn
ings of corporations, which soon goes into eff
feet; the Court of Customs Appeals and the
new Tariff Board which is gathering material
for use in the future and aiding the President
most materially in his conclusions with foreign
nations.
Several of Mr.. Taft's recommendations are
now being considered in both Senate and
House Committees and will soon be reported
and debated in both Houses of Congress. 1t is
mistaken idea on the part of the press and
public to assume that the pledges of political
party can be redeemed in one session of Con-
gress, and that all the recommendations of the
President in his annual message can be imme-
diatey taken up and enacted into law. Some
of the great reforms which the Republican
party and the President wish to bring about
must be left until the 62d Congress, and for
that reason it is necessary that there be Re-
publican House of Representatives to unite
with Republican Senate and to enact as far
as possible the Presidents policies, making his
term complete and successful one.
Never before perhaps in our history has
Congressional campaign been begun so early
as the present, the Republicans particularly
having for weeks been earnestly engaged in
distributing literature, and giving to the peo-
pie through pamphlets and the newspapers
the truth about legislation and the Administra-
ton. This is not done so much through fear
of Democratic success it is due to the bust
ness attitude of Chairman Mckinley in every
thing that he undertakes. He realizes that
the present year is a so-called off year in poll
tics, and he realizes, too, that there have been
factional differences in the party, and that va
rious conditions exist which if not overcome
might jeopardize Republican success. He and
his committee are confronted perhaps with
more misrepresentation on the part of the
Democrats than has existed since 1890 when
the Democratic House was elected wholly be-
cause of the lying that took place during the
campaign.
With this early start and the splendid record
of the present Administration thus far, and
with the unquestioned benefcent results of
the operation of the new tariff, Mr.. Mckinley
and his associates believe that not only will
the present Republican majority be maintained
in the 62nd Congress, but that it will be increas
ed most substantially.