The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-09-23
SEE TAFT DEFEAT
OVER RECIPROCITY
Friends Moan for Measure on
Which He Built Politi-
cal Hopes
SPECIAL SESSION
WORK IS UNDONE
, President Has Nothing to
Show but Vetoes of
Tariff Revision, is
Pointed Out

WASHINGTON. Sept. 22.-The
stunning defeat of reciprocity in Can
ada Is regarded by politicians. and
even by those who would sustain
President Taft under all eircum
stances, ii severe blow to his
chances for denomination. II is held
that it was false political philosophy
and suicidal policy Tor him. which
he will never be able to explain, to
reject the certainty of tariff revision
by the Democratic and Republican
tarin reformers, and to stake his
reputation ana his fortunes on the I'M
accomplished fact of reciprocity.
The bald fndisputable tact now is
that, after tumultuous session OF
congress there is no tarir revision OF
any kind and that the president ID
up against his vetoes of the wool bill,
the cotton biil and the farmers free
list bill and the division OF his own
party into the stalwarts and a for
midabie opposition which has as
many heads as the hydra.
Representative A. q. Stanley, or
steel trust investigation fame, who
represents political thought In the
capital just now among agitators for
economic reform, makes the point
that President Taft Is severely hit
because the Canadian pact on which
he suffered Illuminating defeat is the
only great measure 80 far linked with
his name.
Chances of Recollection.
A melancholy fact from the Repub
hcan standpoint Is that in the House
of President Tafts friends In all the
departments they simply shake their
heads wisely and look lugubriousiy.
but all leave the impression that cir
cumstances have largely diminished
the chances or Mr.. Taft making a SUE
cessfui tight for Reelection.
Only such bold economists as Rep
resentatise Ernest w. Roberts. Of
Massachusetts, declare that the re-
suit will help Mr.. Taft. But even Mr.
Roberts admits that the result Will
be followed By what he felicitiously
describes as "sagging in business.
Other economists. however, notice
that the argument advocating recipro-
city have already been suhstantinted
ny the course of the wheat market
In the United States wheat has gone
up and In Canada IL has gone down
1t would have made no difference
whether Mr.. Tafts reciprocity meas
ure had been successful in Canada or
not IL he had only permitted the
farmers free list to have become a
law. in other words, the very first
news that hits the country on the
heels OF the failure of reciprocity and
the blind opposition of the admins
tration To the farmers free list In that
the wheat manipulators Of this coun-
try have been permitted to regulate
the market against the people while
Americas Canadian neighbors viii
have tho benefit OF the low price Of
wheat and of the lower cost OF living
Higher Cost Of Living.
higher cost OF living SO far as
wheat is concerned is necessity of
the present rise In wheat prices. and
OF which probably the farmer will get
but little benefit.
The State department officials pro-
TESS to be staggered by the blow of
reciprocitys defeat in Canada. They
are. however, unwilling 10 predict the
next step in the absence of Secretary
Of State Knox. and besides they are
in daily expectation of reading some
full comment by President Taft on the
defeat and what he proposes to DO
about II.
There Will nevertheless be n con-
tinued belief in the views attributed
to Speaker Champ Clark tina, one o,
the potent causes for the overthrow of
Tafts measure was the corrupt use
OF money in the elections
Views on Defeat.
Here are Some Of the views ex-
pressed to-day on the situation brought
about by the defeat OF reciprocity.
Representative Stanley. chairman OF
the Steel Investigating Committee OF
the House: The Canadian reciproci-
~ pact was the one measure that
President Taft wished TO pass and ne
did not do it. II will be severe
blow to him. politically. The defeat
Ia a severe blow to both countries,
and this defeat is due to the fetish OF
protection, which We have outgrown
and which Canada has not 1t Is ao-
solutely due, also. to the strong be-
lief that the farmers on both sides N
the line held that thew would be de-
stroyed II they dealt freely with each
other. Protection. and the Canadian
belief In that fetish. is what killed reci-
procity In Canada l think Mr.. Taft
IL severely hurt. politically. because
this Canadian pact Is the only great
measure. so far. attributed to him. The
railroad measure was passed not by
him but In spite OF him.
Expects Business to Sag.
Representative Roberts, OF Massa-
chusetts: Il look to see a sagging in
business for some months to come.
This Will not be as a consequence OF
Canadas action. 1t will be due to the
unrest as to politics Business has
already Stacked off. during the past
three months. as consequence Of tin
koring with the tariff. There will be
~ bad result to business as a result
q no reciprocity. just as 1t Is true thar
the benefits that might have come
with reciprocity would have been very
slow In coming. The result will un-
doubtedly help Mr.. Taft The farmers
have been against reciprocity. Reel
procity did not go through. Now the
farmers will forgive Mr.. Taft, and
they will forget. and they will be for
him. because they like him and believe
IN him."
Mr. Charles c. Glover. president OF
the Riggs National Bank. said.
mo man In the United States knows
why Canada refused the pact. AS
soon az the smoke clears away, Cana
da's action will not be regarded A un-
N friendly She acted under . misappra-