The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-08-31

next; but which report was not avail
able at the early date necessary in
order to give the information required
on the bills now introduced and passed,
Manifestly this is quite a different
proposition from the idea that Con-
gress shall be held IN leash and not per-
mitted to enact tariff or other financial
dent and his boards or commissions.
Speaker Clark undertakes TO parry the
force Of this obvious reply by saying
that he and other members of the
House are better tariff experts than the
board appointed by the President. This
may or may not be the case; at any
rate it has nothing TO do with the ques-
ton. 1t was clearly understood when
the Sixty-frst Congress adjourned that
the Tariff Board was TO report next
December on the various schedules Of
the tariff law, and that this was to
supply needed information to Congress.
This was the instruction it received.
To expect a report in July or August,
and to complain that the report was
not ready, or TO assert that Congress
ought to act in the meantime without
that report, is clearly forcing the Presi-
dent s hand, and ignoring the board
altogether. President Taft was not
only clearly within his rights in in
sisting that the report of the Tariff
Board Should be waited for as called
for by date and as understood. but he
was able TO show in his veto messages
that some Of the tariff bills were not
properly considered, that old schedules
were changed on the spur of the
moment without any consideration
whatever, and without any committee
report thereon, All this portion of
Speaker Clark S reply TO President
Taft is mere begging of the question,
and worthy of no consideration what.
ever
Finally, Speaker Clark resents the
statement Of President Taft that the
tariff bills passed first by the House
and then by tho Senate care in.
ternsl evidence of the fact that they
revenue only, but tariff for politics
only" Mr.. Clark throws up his hands
in horror at that uttcrancc, claiming
that there is no basis of fact whatever
for il. This, however, can fairly be
considered a matter OF opinion. in
which the President is quite as much
entitled 10 his say as is Speaker Clark.
The President, in his speech criti-
cisng the action of the House in
passing the tariff bills, said, "Ncvcr
in the history Of the Government.
venture Ia say. have any important
public interests been dealt with in such
a ligbt-hearted way, with such abso-
lutte ignorance Of the effect of lcgisla,
ton, and with such willingness TO
sacrifice business interests 10 political
cxigcncies. - OF this Speaker Clark
says that IL '.is as reckless and unfair
a statement as has been put in print
since Gutenberg invented movable
type, and is personal reflection on
the sense, honesty, integrity, bona
Gdcs. and patriotism of every man,
DtHp'idt VT h'phplichur Nbo 'bt'h Aoi
those bills. As such Mr.. Clark dc
elarcd his resentment. not for himself
alone. but for all whom he considers
thus assailed Here again il is mat.
ter of opinion. and President Taft,
IN expressing his idea Of the matter
was clearly within his rights. and
while Speaker Clark NAV differ from
him. II is in no wise called for from
him 10 denouncc the President any
more than the President might de.
nounce Speaker Clark for mere mat
ter of opinion and straightforward
utteTsncc thereof.
In a general way. however. Speaker
ClaTk. scores against the President