The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-11
nARoloN AT ms BEST.

most eScellent speech 10 tne beHoCEuN1c
clubs of Boston Saturday night. in
which he attacked with much vigor
and convincing argument the course of
President Taft in vetoins the tariff
session of Congress, chiefly on the
ground 1t would appear, that these
bills were cot scientifically constructed.
but were political measures of parti-
san sort, and as such not entitled TO the
Executive consideration; q hodge podgc
of unbaked theories. jumbled together
by ineNpert workmen whose practical
application would be disastrous TO the
business interests of the country, and
therefore. that by approving these
measures the President would be doing
injury to the cause of true tariff re-
vision and the general welfare. Gov
ernor Harmon joins issue with the
President on this question, and makes
the point, which we surged upon the
President at the time the bills were
passed. that the members of the Ways
and Means Committee of Congress, by
whom these tariff bills were framed
were in every way Well qualified to
deal with the tariff question as ths
members of the Tariff Board. upon
whose findings the Presiden5 waits be-
fore giving his consent to any tar!n
legislation.
This board is purely advisory. has no
authority whatever to deal with the
question. could not pass tariff bill il
bill 1t might propose, and, IN the opin-
ion of Governor Harmon. should not
have more influence with the President
. in his course upon the tariff question
than the members of Congress, who
alone have been empowered by the peo-
pie to make laws for their heneflt.
Upon this point Governor Harmon was
so clear and forcible that we cannot
refrain from quoting here what he
said at Boston, as follows;
HE (the president) needed no com
mission when he promised general
reduction before his election. nor when
he called the special session to keep
the promise. nor when he signed the
bill that broke the promise. nor when
he confessed that the wooden and cot
ton goods duties were too high, nor
when he made the agreement with
Canada. His position is simply that
those who, by the tricllery OF tariff
making, have secured a license to i'm
pose eNorbitant prices on the American
people shall go on doing it, in spite OF
the action of both houses of Congress,
until Ave men who are not responsible
10 the people, nor even experts, shall
advise him how much these favor
taxes ought to be reduced. and how
10 do II scientifically. He admits they
are too high on these absolute and
universe! necessities or life, but he
fears these bills may have cut them too
much. All the men women and chill
dren In the land must continue TO sur
Ter for an adflitted wrong that affects
health and comfort. rather than run
any risk OF CAUSING TOO much shrink
age In prohts made excessive by law
The people must not even have The
beneiit of the doubt. If the present
tariff charges had been fixed merely
without proper knowledge and skin, IT
could vel! be said that an 'unscientihc'
remedy is good enough for an unset
ent!fc wrong. especially when those
who apply the remedy have the ad-
while those who did the wrong acted
only on conjecture But the Payne
A!drich-Smoot law had a far worse sire
than ignorance. And II Is n reflection
on our plan of government to say that
the Migrant iniquities OF that law shall
go on defying good sense. common
knowledge and honest purpose until a
commission, without legal responsible
iiy or authority. shall decide how the
duiy chosen w-making body may deal
with them"
We DO not agree with Governor
Harmon that the President is insin-
cere in his desire for thorough going
tariff rev!son-he has gone further In
this direction than any other Republican
President the country has ever had-but
we do agree with him that the Pres
ident has adopted the worst possible
way OF taking the tarif question out Of
politics; that he did not exercise the
veto power wisely; that the Congress
was far better qualified to advise him
as to what measure OF relief the con-
sumers OF the country need and the
iawmekers Of the country could grant
shan an irresponsible hoard COMPOSED
Of no more competent men than the
members of Congress themselves Sc
lected by the people to deal with all
questions affecting their interests ana
the welfare of the country. There have
been tariff commissions and tariff
commissions. and. as Governor Harmon
said truly, None OF them ever ac..
cornpiished anything but delay: and
that has been the record Of the pres
emit tariff board.
The evils OF the present tarin Law.
which the President did not like, all
though he approved, continue to the
injury of the people because the Pres
ident i,reftrred TO wit for The r.