The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-12-15
Taft Defends Adminl.tratlon.

Taft Defends Administration.
In what was evidently intended to b
heart to heart talk with the people
President Taft is quoted at length in tn
current issue of the Outlook concernin,
his aspirations for another term as pres
ident and in defense of his record /.
date. The article is entitled "Presi
dent Taft's Own View: An Authorized
Interview" and is the report of a con
versation between the president ant
Francis e. Leupp, former Indian com
missioner and long friend of Taft, a
Hot Springs at the end of Taft's jour
ney about the country The talk starts
in with a defense of the important
Democratic appointments made by the
administration, the hope being thai
policy would lay the foundations fol
ultimate breaking of the solid South
Asked If he would repeat his Winons
speech on the tariff if he were to begir
now. Taft replied:
In phraseology, no; in effect, yes
Had known as much then as do now
should have realized that there are
some things that one can not leave tc
be taken for granted" He explains how
1t was prepared hastily on train, and
says the comparative would have been
better than the superlative in express.
ing his opinion of the Aldrich bill, and
adds: For whatever its shortcomings
the act still contains less to be CRITICS.
ed than its predecessors, and it did. as
whole, revise the existing schedules
downward" Further, President Taft
says he has no fault to find with the
Democrats or the Insurgents for trying
to reduce any duties they choose, put
did object to disturbing business on a
basis of guess, work. He believes that
the connection between the tariff and
the cost of living is exaggerated. In
explaining his failure to break with the
high protection Republicans, he says
that as the head of the Republican par
ty he could not hope for help from the
Democrats and had to get some of the
protectionists won over to his view to
win. In that way, he contends, he did
secure many reductions in the Aldrich
bill, and he believes he made one mis-
take in not insisting on lower duty on
paper. But he remarks:
A president can hardly be expected
to make radical fight over each detail
that strikes him as unwise, and it would
be the height of folly for him to veto
an entire bill because few items in it
do not appeal to his individual judg-
ment."
The president reviews the various
important achievements of his term the
selection of the tariff board, the secur.
ing of the paper postage commission,
the changing of deficit of $50, 900, OOO
to a surplus of $14, 900, 900 partly through
economics and partly to the revenue
producing qualities of the tariff law,
the forcing Of the corporation tax law
through congress along with the in
come tax amendment submiss on, and
finally declares that he believes in a
general income tax on principle. In
times of peace he would confine the tax
to such as would not require inquisi-
torial methods. Of his future plans,
the president says he proposes reduc-
tions of the wooden and cotton SEIZED
ules and perhaps the metal schedule,
will press for Alaskan development and
the passage of the arbitration treaties.
He explains his concentration of the
troops in Texas as due to his personal
belief at the time that many American
lives were in danger in Mexico. While
his acts have not been gagged by per-
sonal ambition, Taft frankly admits
that he would be pleased if the people
should enlist him for aDother term,
and he concludes thus: But / have
not been willing nor shall be to pur.
chase that verdict at the sacrifice of my
to do my duty as / see it. My
Is not dependent on holding
any Office, and 1 shall go back to pri
yate life with no heartburnings If the
people, after an unprecedented review
Of my administration conclude that
some one else can serve them to greater
Judge S. S. Miner granted de-
To h. in,