The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-27
ANOTHER TARrFF Now9 NO.

| call a special session Ol GO14SA CoS IA
March to attempt to make a new
tariff. That paper is publishing vari-
Gus opinions supporting its view. A
special session for that purpose would
doubtless accomplish little other than
tend to unsettle business.
The World sent out the following
| circular letter which came to this
paper:
Do you favor special session OF the
| form the tariff and reduce the cost of
| living, thus responding as promptly as
possible to the popular verdict OF the
or do you believe that Mr. Taft is justi-
ned IN deferring lover dqe f ana fiqst re ee
ular session of congress in December, 1911,
in which case the work cannot be com
and half after the election Of last
November and in the midst of all the
party passions Of a presidential cam
An expression of your opinion is earn;
estly desired. Enclosed you Will find
| stamped envelope for reply
THE WORLD.
To which the following reply was
| made January 13:
In reply to your request for an ex-
| preston of opinion, will say that 1
| do not favor "a special session of the
newly elected congress in March to
reform the tariff and reduce the cost
| of living
| 1 should like to see further demon
| stration of the present tariff. 1t is
too soon, in my judgment, to overturn
that measure. There is much good in
it despite the criticism.
I Many are the mysteries of the tariff.
Time tells more than any other old
man. The insurgent with the whip hand
on the inside track is not Keeling and
| insurging so much as he was on the
outer rim of things. The Democrats and
regular Republicans in the Kansas leg
islature united this week and dehorn-
ed the president of the state senate by
! a committee on committees. So the
tariff cores more people on the out
side-of the enclosure than within the
| stockade.
do not think that the tariff is by
any means the principal cause of the
high cost of living. We all know that
the cost of living was deplorably low
under higher tariffs than Mr.. Payne's
pet.
In my judgment most humble it is,
1 think the high cost of living is main
| ly due to a higher standard of living,
to the enjoyment of better living, as
we'll as to the greater purchase of lux
uries by a greater number of people
than ever before; not to speak of
wild extravaganza which has prevailed
in certain quarters.
Any reform Of the tariff, or revision
of the schedules therein, whatever may
be, is not going to reduce materially
the cost of living, unless the people as
IL AL -
living.
| The Kansas farmer, for instance, was
| never so happy. He is not likely to
| discard his automobile. throw out his
telephone, see the rural free delivery
abandoned, or stop his daily paper. He
| likes them all and they enter into
| higher cost of the living he enjoys
| Furthermore he is going to add a type
writer. an adding machine and a cash
| register. He has brought with him to
| the present session of our legislature
a dress suit and wore it last night at
the Charity Ball.
We are probably never to return to the
old low costs of living unless we go
backward in civilization. as well as re-
turn to an advisable simpler life.
should like to see the tariff revis-
ed IN sections or by schedules. Part of
the law surely needs it.
President Taft has already saved this
| country millions of dollars under the
present reviled revenue producer and
protective measure, and under what Is
of great Importance, remarkable
business administration with effective
i economies
If the whole country does not show
appreciation of him, the country, while
being the best ever. is base migrate.
The recent tariff has at least proven
itself good for revenue, and that IS
what even the most radical reduction
lists concede to be necessary condi-
ton.
I am of the opinion that what Presi-
dent Taft said, that the present tariff
law is the best one We ever had, is alb
solutely true. The criticism of the
president on this score, as if he had
said the present tariff is ideal, or the
best that could be made, was not only
unjust and unwarranted; it was out
rageous. On this score the president
was given a marked deck, and the
cards were stacked on him." 1 under
stand this language to- convey the op-
posite meaning from the trite square
deal"
I believe the present tariff commits
sion and campaign of education and in
: formation now well under way are ad-
; mirable Give the country chance to
see how these reforms work out before
too many others are thrown into the
congressional crucible
--
CHANGING THE SCHOOL HEAD.