The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1911-08-23
on the sea and the boats on the rivers
aud canals shall carry such freight as
they are better able to carry.
PLAYING POLITICS.

The veto OF the wool tariff revision
bill by Taft was accompanied by q
statement in which the motive of the
political opposition in attempting such
legislation was exposed by the nation.
al executive. The president informed
the authors of the measure, and the
country at large. that in passing such
bills congress was "plsying politics."
and gave no consider alton to the sub
ject upon which action was taken.
In his veto message to congress.
President Taft gave this plain and
sensible statement of the situation:
II was elected to the presidency as
the candid ate of a party which in its
platform declared its aim and purpose
to maintain a protective tariff by the
imposition of such duties as will equal
the difference between the cost of pro.
duction at home and abroad. together
with a reasonable profit to American
industries l have always regarded
this language as fixing the proper
measure of protection at the ascertain.
ed difference between the cost of pro.
duction at home and that abroad and
have construed the reference to the
profit of Americal industries rs in
tended, not to add a new element to
the measure stated or to exclude from
the cost of production abroad the ele.
ment of a manufacturer or producers
profit, but only to emphasize the i'm
portance of including in the American
cost q manufacturers or producers
profit reasonable, according to the
American standard.
sin accordance with Q promise made
In the same campaign. l called the ex.
ira session OF the s~ixty-frst congress,
at which a revision of the tariff was
made and adopted on the Payne bill.
"The great difficulty, however, in
discussing the new rates adopted, was
that there was nc means available by
which impartial persons could deter.
mine what, in fact, vas the difference
In cost of production between the pro.
ducts OF this country and the same pro.
duct abroad. The American public be-
came deeply impressed with the o
viction that, in order to secure a prop.
er revision of the tariff in the future,
ex act information as to the effect of
the new rates must be had and that the
evil of log rolling or a compromise be.
tween advocates of different protected
industries in fixing duties could be
avoided and the interest of the consum-
ing public could be properly guarded,
only by revising the tariff one schedule
at q time.
ITO help these reforms for the fu.
ture, l took advantage of q clause In
the Payne tariff bill enabling me to
create q tariff board Of three members
and directed them to make a glossary
and encyclopedia after used in tariff
and secure information as to the com.
parative cost OF production in dutiable
articles, under the tariff at home and
abroad.
III there ever was a schedule that
needed consideration and investig alton
and elaborate explanation by experts
before its amendment, it ia schedule X.
There is a widespread belief that many
rates in the present schedule are too
high, and are in excess OF any needed
protection for the wool growers or
manufacturers. I share this belief
and have so stated in several public
addresses. But l have not sufficient
data on how l a judge how schedule
K ought to be amended or how its
rates ought to be reduced, in order
that the new bill shall furnish the
proper measure of protection and no
more. Nor have | sources of infor.
nation which satisfies me that the bill
presented to me for signature will &C.
complish this result. The parliamen.
tary history of the bill is not reassur.
ing on this point. 1t was introduced
and passed in the house as providing
u tariff for revenue only and with the
avowed purpose of departing from a
protective tariff policy"
The Poetry Of Skirts.