New-York tribune., 1911-03-04
From The Tribune Bureau
yyaShipptOp Mai

Washington. March B.
| PRESIDENTS VICTORY.-The passage
o. the Tariff Board bill, which is now re-
| garded as assured. will constitute ma
terial personal victory for the President.
After the supporters OF the measure hai
entangled themselves in a snarl OF AMI
mosities with which they could not COPE
they were compelled TO appeal to the Presi-
dent. and II was his diplomacy alone which
has made possible it's passage. The indig-
/ nation Of many Democrats over the selec-
| ton Of Senator Beveridge 10 take charge
! Of the bill knew no bounds. and some in
| fuential members of the minority frankly
| assert that had net this course been
| adopted they would have permitted he
Tariff Board bill TO pass as soon as u
came up after the vote on the Lorimer
case. Ridiculous as must seem this reason
| for holding up important legislation, the
fact cannot be gainsaid, and it is in large
measure borne out by the consent given
at an early hour this morning TO vote
| on the measure. 4 ais consent was unani-
nous, and that il was given fully bears
! out the contention of the Democrats that
| they were merely delaying the measure 10
show their hostility 10 the Senator from
! Indiana who has so often made himself
| offensive TO them in the past. IT was some
what remarkable that regulars and insur-
gents were finally compelled 10 appeal 10
the President, but 1t was his influence Win
the Democrats which made possible that
/ agreement TO a vote which has allayed
I the bitterness in the Senate and, In turn,
/ made possible the passage to-day OF four
appropriation bills.
MR.. TAFTS SIMPLCITY.-Obviou
| there is nothing more mystifying TO the
average politician than simplicity and
! singleness Of purpose. 1t is probably safe
assertion that not one Republican MEMBER
! of the Senate understands the President
| When they go 10 see him he tells them
/ that he is for Canadian reciprocity and
! that IS his reason for calling Congress In
special session. Then they undertake TO
! show him the political folly Of such a
! course He replies that he is not consider
/ ing the political consequences, that he is
/ for Canadian reciprocity, and that as the
| Senate has not acted at this session he re-
| CARDS il his duty TO call Congress in special
| session. But the Democrats will make
| political capital out Of a special session
I
I demonstrate the puzzled Republicans. But
J do not care a tinker's dam whether 1t
| Injuries my political prospects or not" re-
/ plies the President. And then his Republi-
can advisers go back to the Capitol and
/ cudgel their brains and remark to their
| friends, confidentially, OF course: II can't
! figure ont what his game Is. He Is too
J deep for me" As for accepting his per-
/ fectly frank statement at it's face value.
/ no member OF Congress ever dreams Of
| that. They all set President Roosevelt
down as being mo politician" and he
/ fooled them so badly that they cannot
/ bring themselves to believe that there Is
nothing Of the politician about Mr.. Taft.
Every one Of them is perfectly convinced
| that the President has some deep and sa-
gacious motive other than that he gives
/ them Cor calling special session of Con-
gress. and that they are perfectly inca
rable Of fathomng the depth OF his game.
/ After a while they go back 10 the White
| House and seek TO convince the President
! that the agreement is economically un-
/ sound "I will not undertake to controvert
/ your statements says the President In
substance 1T may be economically rot
| ten. But l regard It as good statesman
J ship I estimate the diplomatic advantages
/ as so much greater than the economic ad-
J vauta res or disadvantages that | regard
in the proportion Of 100 to 100000
Z The economic features may he as bad as