The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-09-22
SIX QUESTIONS FOR MIR. TAFT


any other president since the civil
war. That WIS only 80 months ago.
And two years ago this fall, when
he made his first presidential tour,
his praise of Aldrich and his en-
dorsement of the Payne-Aldrich law
at Winona were received with toler-
ant and respectful silence by the peo-
pie of the west, who felt that the law
was a betrayal of the party and that
Senator Aldrich the principal traitor.
Two years ago the people in the
western states were not unwilling to
believe that the signing and defense
of the tariff bill were grave but re-
trievable blunders of a. we'll inten-
toned, though inexperienced presi-
dent. 49, liz
Since then a great deal has, hap
pened to change the attitude of the
people toward the President. Now
he will be expected in the course of
his two hundred speeches to answer
a half dozen; questions clearly, speci-
fically, uneqiyocally and without In
viting his hearers to consent to fur
Their presidential procrastination.
The people will ask the President
why he considered that a reduction
of the duties on agricultural products
so urgent as to require special SEES
sion of congress, while he compelled
the country to await the revision. Of
the much debated, well studied, well
understood and discredited wool
schedule, until he should publish the
report of his tariff board. Whatever
be the merits of the reciprocity policy
the farmers of the west will want
him to tell them how they were bene-
fitted in the past by protective duties
on farm products in the Dingley and
Payne laws, If they are not in need
of protection under reciprocity.
They are, not confused about re-
ciprocity. 1t will reduce the cost Of
living or it will not. If it will not,
it is a pretence; If it will, it must
reduce the prices of farm products.
In this connection it is significant
that the Canadian Pacific railway
(which, next to the government, is
the largest land owner in Canada) i,
has advertised that reciprocity will
increase farm values in the Dominion
by 100 per cent.
The people will expect the presi'
dent to plainly state whether he is
in favor Of Aldrich's central bank
plan, or opposed to it. They want to
know why a central bank organiza-
tion, under the Aldrich plan, will
not be controlled by the great mon
eyed interest which center in Wall
street. The western people are deep
ly and individually interested in the
currency question, because a monop-
oily of the credit Of the country will
throttle the free development of west
ern industries and reduce them to
a condition of industrial and fiscal
dependency, such as Is now some
times to be found in Pennsylvania,
New York, New Jersey and New Eng
land.
Remembering that Richard Achil-
les Ballinger came from the state of
Washington to the cabinet as rep
resentative of the public land state
of the northwest, and that, later, his
own state by an overwhelming vote
sent his critic Poindexter to the SEN
ate, they will want to know the Pres
idents exact attitude on the several
conservation questions; the public
land question; the question of the
preservation and the use of national
forests; the development Of the Alas
ka coal fields; the construction and
control Of railroads in Alaska, They,
will expect Mr.. Taft to be explicit
Ito outline definite policy 50 they
may know whether his inclination il
toward the development of natural
resources by such large and enter.
Gssyndicates AZ that Of Guggen-;;
helm and Morgan, or by pioneers.
prospectcrs and smsil business men,;
with the protection and assistance