New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-18
THE WOOL BILL VETO.

PRESIDENT 1atlS veto or the WOOL
schedule revision bill is a coura geous
stand for principle. The President has
committed himself. and his party and
the nation through laws enacted are
committed with him, TO revision of
the tariff on a scientific basis. with the
purpose Of getting it out Of politics.
The purpose of the bill just vetoed is
to keep the tariff in politics. 1t is a
job a mere jockeying for political posi-
ton. The commission which Mr.. Taft
caused TO be created by Congress to in
quire into costs of production at home
and abroad and other factors entering
into the determination of protective
duties is about ready to report on wool
The Democrats were in haste TO an
ticipate its report so that their party
might get the credit of trying to lower
duties, and they have found in the
insurgent Republicans the needed allies
TO carry out their plan. The intent OF
the insurgents was equally to keep the
tariff in politics, for, smarting under the
exposure Of the emptiness Of their pre-
fences in favor of lower duties which
resulted from President Tafts advocacy
Of Canadian reciprocity, they have been
seeking to iniure the President with the
public by forcing him TO veto bills pro-
viding for lower tariff duties.
The result of this unholy alliance is
q bill that is neither Democratic, in con-
formity with the principle of tariff for
revenue only, nor insurgent Republican,
in conformity with the professions of
the insurgents in favor OF protective
duties fixed after an investigation by
a commission. Its rates were based
upon no inquiry into the facts, but are
the result Of a compromise between men
who surrendered their high tariff CON
victions in the belief that the bill was
sure TO be beaten and others who sur
rendered their low tariff convictions in
a Similar~beief. II is Il dishonest and
dscreditable measure, representing no
ones sincere belief as TO what the
duties on wool should he. Everybody
who voted for ii was ready to abandon
his principles in regard TO tariff reform
for the sake of the fancied partisan or
factiOpal advantage or vengeance that
he expected to gain through its passage.
AS tariff making it was tariff making
of the worst kind. 1t is no better to
have duties fixed by political logrolling
than to have them fixed by log-roling Of
the protected interests. The duties in
this bill were fixed by political log-rol-
ing, without regard TO the facts with
cut waiting for the facts and without
concern for anything except politics.
The tariff has given the acid test to
political sincerity in Washington. First
the insincerity Of the insurgent Repub
hcans, who had won cheap renOwn
by their opposition TO the Payne-Aldrich
bill was thoroughly exposed when they
were asked to do something besides pose
and TO furnish actual aid to the cause Of
lower duties by supporting Mr. Taft's
Canadian reciprocity policy. The moral
Of a movement which was
making large drafts upon the public
faith was cruelty exhibited Nor does
the sincerity of the Democratic party
GIpear In any better light. Had it ad
hered to the Underwood bill as it came
from the House it might point TO itself
as true 10 its position on the tariff. But
il las bargained with protectionists and
mongrel measure, whose
only purpose is deceit.
In all this sorry exhibition there is
one man whose position throughout has
been consistent and sincere and that is
Mr.. Taft, against whom all this plotting
has been directed. His purpose is TO
get the tariff out Of politics and to have
its rates adjusted on scientific basis,
IN accordance with facts determined
through, an investigation by unbiased
experts. To that position he has been
true. He might possibly have obtained