Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-21

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich, September u.
President Taft made his first speech of
his western trip on the tariff and his ve-
toes of tie wool, cotton and farmers
free list bills here today. The President
attacked the democrats and ..insurgent''
republicans in the Senate and House who
put these bills through Congress at the
special session, defended his own course
In yetoing them and declared that he was
unalterably opposed to revision of the
tariff except upon information secured by
the tariff board. He defined clearly his
own position with regard to tariff re-
political defeat stared him in the face he
wuuiduuf alter his policy. The President
predicted that revising the tariff with
''bEacksenith's tools" such as he said the
used. will lead inevitably to revplsion
Of feeling and a recurrence Of the higher
rates and the .'old system of high tar
ifs"
deprecate, and so far as / can with the
powers given me by the Constitution
propose to stop such a movement and to
secure a reduction in accordance with the
principles of the republican platform
and on information accurate and impair
tial II that policy is not approved by
the electorate then, of course, those of us
who are now in office must g.ve way to
men who VIII carry out different policy,
but while We are in office position
ought clearly to be understood We fol-
low this policy rot only because we are
III. dyed to it. but because we believe it
right. because we believe that a full dis
cussion and close perception on the
part Of the people will convince them
ultimately TO approve and adop; it,
President Taft quoted from the plat
forms of the republican party in Ohio
New York. Wisconsin,, Iowa ard Kansas
10 shoW that his party in those states had
adopted the idea OF a permanent body
which should make a scientific investiya-
ton of the tariff. and upon whose re-
searches and data future reyisions should
be based. In effect. ne charged the in
sursents with bad faitn in having adyo-
Gated the creation of the tariff board and
then with not wishing 10 wait for its re-
L.
a board the President said.
Il have had in the past the hearty
support not only of the regular repubIi-
cans, but also, and even with more en-
phasis, those who call themselves pro-
sress.ve republicans"
The Presidents Speech.
a way as / can why | vetoed the three
~ Ill
me for signature at the close Of this
extra session | called the session to Sc
cure the enactment in law Of the Cana
dian reciprocity treaty. This was done
on July 80. Thereafter. the wool bill, the
free list bill and the cotton bill were pre-
sented TO ne for signature and returned
them without my approval and explain
"a mr reasons for so doing in special
message on each bill.
What ! say here will be in large part
resume OF those messages, with some
additional suggestion that the less formal
character of this address permits | am
not goi:E 10 discuss the PAYNE bill eM-
cept TO say that the controversy over IFS
merits and dement's developed very
strong sentiment among reTs,biicans and
indeed. among many democrats that a
bureau or commission board OF COM
peteEt persons should be constituted to
make investigation into the facts con-
cernirg the dutiable articles in the tariff
and to report them in such way that
Congress and the public might be reliably
advised OF tile probable effect of any pro-
posed revision of the tariff IN the future
It was properly felt that even when full
opportunities for hearings were given as
they had been by the committees OF the
House and Senate. In the case o. the
Payne bill. the advocates of the protect
ed interest would have the advantage over
the consuming public. who would nor
organize TO secure and present the eyi-
dence in their behalf for lower duties
needed To secure just Judgment The
Payne bill offered an opportunity to me
to appoint beard of competent persons
to assist me in the admin stration OF the
revenue laws. and especially OF the maxi
mum and minimum clause OF that act,
and the revenue laws were OF sufficient
latitude TO enable me to direct this boa rd
TO make "A GLOSSARY of the tariff terms
and kind of encyclopedia which would
furnish a guide to the understanding of
the tariff. and also To proceed to deter
mine the comparative difference betwe en-
the cost of production of dutable articles
under the various tariff schedules in this
country and abroad
AT the extra session of 1909 Congress
had given me $Ia, 600 which could srend
@for this purpose. At the regular session
Of the same Congress. the SiXty-frst. the