The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-09-20
GOES FOR TAFT
The President is Sbown Up in His True
Colors By Governor Harmon.
Who FLAYED Him ALIVE
Before Gathering of the Democratic
Clubs in Boston the Chief Execu-
tiyes Attitude Towards the Tariff
Was Attacked by the Chief Execu-
tive of Ohio.

tive of Ohio.
President Taft's attitude toward
tariff reform was attacked by Govern
or Harmon of Ohio in speech before
the gathering of Democratic clubs.
Governor Harmon said that the pres
ident's course in vetoing tariff bills
passed by the special session of con-
gress indicated that he had been
reached by wrong advisers" Speak.
ing of the presidents objections tc
these bills he said: 'These and 9th
er marks of paternity suggest the
question whether the vetoes may not
have been adopted offspring, like the
defense OF Ballinger.''
"He needed no commissioner,
said the speaker, when he promised
general reduction before his elec-
ton, nor when he called the special
session to keep the promise, nor when
he signed the bill that broke the pro-
mise, nor when ne confessed that the
wooden and cotton goods duties were
too high, nor when he made the
agreement with Canada. His posi-
ton is simp.y that those who by
trickery of tariff making laws have
secured license to impose eXorbi-
tant prices on the American people
shall go on doing it, in spite Of the
action of both houses of congress,
until five men who are not response
BILE to the people, nor even experts,
shall advise him how much these IA
vor taxes ought to be reduced and
how to do it scientifically. He then
admits they are too high on these alb
solute and universal necessities OF
life, but he fears these bills may have
cut them too much. All the men, wo-
men and children in the land must
continue to suffer for an admitted
wrong which affects health and COM
fort rather than run any risk of caus-
ing too much shrinkage N profits
made excessive by law. The people
must not even have the benefit Of the
doubt.
eff the present tariff charges had
knowledge and skill it could well be
said that an 'unscientifc' remedy is
good enough for an unscientifc
wrong, especially when those who
apply the remedy have the advantage
of dealing with actual results while
those who did the wrong acted only
on conjecture. But the Payne-Al-
drich-Smoot law had far worse sire
than ignorance. And it's a reflec-
ton on our plan of government to
say that the fragrant iniquities of that
law shall go on defying good sense,
common knowledge and honest pur-
pose until commission without legal
responsibility or authority shall de-
eide how the duly chosen law making
body may deal with them.
''I believe in the veto power. But
it is to be employed only on the
clean and positive conviction of the
executive that the public interest so
REQUIRES. He is allowed ten days to
consider and decide. If he remains
| in doubt at the end of that time ac-
ton of his part is dispensed with
and the judgment of the legislative
body become effective without 1t.
For the president to defeat the action
of congress, especially when it fol-
lows the plain mandate OF the coun-
try merely because he is not certain
about it himself and wants to wait
for somebody else to advise him, is a
new and perilous departure from the
wise design of the constitution.
1--WE have had tariff commission
before but none of them ever ac-
complished anything but delay. And
if ever time is money it certainly is
to be benefciaries of favor tariff.
The consumers of the country were
entitled to at least partial immediate
relief. This congress gave and the
president took away. His tenderness
was all for the few who profit by the
present excessive rates. He harden
ed his heart to the multitude who are
compelled to pay he eXorDltant
prices which include m.
'Not content with calling the ma
.ity in congress unscientifc, incom-
petent and ignorant continued Gov.
Harmon, though in his vetoes he
did so in parliamentary phase, the
president now, in public speeches,
charges them with insincerity, en-
ploying the ruder language Of the
stump. He says they were playing
politics.
This gives a fellow feeling for
'Messrs. Clark and Underwood and
their association. For when I set
about the reforms in Ohio which I
was elected to secure found myself
confronted by general assembly
Republican in both branches, which
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