Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-12-01
Grateful For HonorS Which the
People Have Given Him and
Hopes Administration Has
Merited denomination.
WILL NOT, HOWEVER,
SACRIFICE PRINCIPLE
President Gives Current Num-
Der of The Outlook AuthOriz-
ed Interview Which Is of Par
tiCuIar Interest,

iBy Morning Journal Special Leased Wire. !
New York, Nov. 30.-In the current
issue of the Outlook there appears an
article entitled, President Taft's own
View. an Authorized Interview" in
which the president discusses current
topics with an interviewer as follows,
in part.
"Mr. President. if you should be-
gin your administration again, would
you repeat your Winona speech to-
morrow" the interviewer asked.
I'm phra seology, no, in effect, yes.
Had | known as much then as | do
now, | should have said that there are
some things one cannot leave to be
taken for granted. | dictated that
speech to a stenographer on the ears
between two stations and glanced
through 1t only enough to straighten
its grammar. If | had revised II de-
liberately, as | ought to have done,
| should have clarified several pass
ages. And, particularly | should have
changed the sentence where pro-
claim the Payne tariff act the best
eyer passed. The comparative would
have been better description than
the superlative; for, whatever its
shortcomings the act still contains less
to be criticized than its predecessors.
and II did as a whole revise the ex-
isting schedules downward"
rs your tariff reduction program
based on the theory that it will bring
about a corresponding reduction in
the cost of living?'
II think that that effect is greatly
over-estimated. MY chief objection TO
n needlessly high tariff is that it
10 fss Ia
censtant temptation to the formation
of little trusts which often are more
directly oppressive to the consumer
than big ones"
"Mr. President, you have been
sharply criticized for making your
tariff board up Of men who are not
tariff experts.
'And that is true they are not. If
| had been appointing a board of ta-
riff experts | could not have got along
with less than twenty-five in order to
do justice to ali branches of the sub
iect. What | undertook to do was to
make up a board of trained investi-
gators, capable of managing thor
ough inquiry into costs of production
and of analyZing its elements. These
men made no pretense of being tariff
experts, they employ all the expert
help they need.
II fully realize and wish our peo-
pie would, that the present prosperity
of the treasury is due in no small
measure to the existing tariff, which.
Notwithstanding all its faults, is rev.
enue producer. There Is a good deal
more that can be said for that act.
1t gave us a maximum and minimum
tariff provlso, which | deem of the
highest importance and which tended
to increase our foreign trade substan-
tally. 1t gave free trade with the Phil
iypines which has made the islands
more prosperous than ever in tneir
history without injury to any Ameri-
can industry. 1t gave authority that
J used to create and appoint a tariff
card, which, though not the COM
mission sought, is doing most use
ful work; and II imposed Il corpora
ton tax upon which | had set my
heart, but which at times, | despaired
@: getting through"
Now, Mr.. President, something of
the future. What do you purpose
treating as your calendar of unfinish-
ed business for the rest of your pres
ent term O.
In the domestic field | suppose re-
auctions in the wooden and cotton
schedules and possibly in the metal
schedule of the tariff, will 20 to the
TOP of the calendar. These will be
rounded as far as my recommends
tons are concerned on the report Of
the tariff board.
For another thing we ought to OBJ
tiin some legislation which will en-
able Alaska to develop without in
ringing on our broad policy of con-
servation. Then there is the question
OIL ratifying the peace treaties with
england and France and the financial
treaties with Honduras and Nicaragua,
winch in their way are peace treaties
also, as their purpose is to remove
one Of the most prolific causes Of
war
assume that you know that it
mas been widely hinted that your ie-
cent trip was the opening of your
campaign for reelection"
Certainly. as is the case with all
administrations much of what I have
gone since | have been in office has
nad some political color put upon il
oy those who are inclined to be crit
hdL The truth is, however, that po-
htlcal considerations have not weigh
ca heavily with me. ! have tried to
no IN each case what seemed to Inc
the WiSest thing regardless cf ITS effect
upon my own future.
am very grateful for the honors
tne people have given me. l do not
"uect to deny the satisfaction ] should
teel Il they decided that my first term
nad been fruitful enough of good to
warrant their enlisting me for anoth-
But | have not been willing, nor
s''all ! be, to purchase it at the sacri-
pce ol my freedom to do my duty as
| see it,"