The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-03-21
THE STANDARD LOSES.

The Ogden Standard notes the sup.
port that The Tribune is giving to
President Taft as more vigorous than
that of any other paper in Utah. But
II does not understand how it is
that we can support President Taft
and al the same time show the thwart
ing of tho protective policy by the
great manufacturing combines i'm the
East. And il appears TO be puzzled
at our dcnnnciation Of the ineffective
prosecutions that Attorney General
Wickersham has brought against vari.
Gus of the great combines, rs the
Standard Oil and Tobacco Trusts
In all this, however, the Standard
loses SIGHT of the higher things. The
Tribune denounced the tariff law of
1909 us a bunko Of the people. Presi-
dent Taft pronounced some of its
schedules utterly indcfensible; and he
has urged that the tariff law be re-
vised schedule by schedule, insisting
upon it with 6rmness that is worthy
of all praise.
All the same time, President Taft
is doing his best to have the great
corporations which have thwarted the
intent Of the protective tariff by put
ting into their own treasures the diff
ference in wages which the tariff was
designed to secure to American work
men and the wages they pay to their
employees, the lowest standard Of
Europe.
The case is perfectly straightfor
ward, President Taft wants the tariff
law revised so that it shall in fact
and effect he a protective tariff law
to American labor. He is prosecuting
the trusts and combines that are per
Verting the intent Of the tariff law as
indicated. His purpose is to bring the
tariff law into true protective effect;
and since President Taft is in perfect
accord with The Tribune Is views on
these matters, since he believes, as we
do, that the tariff should be revised
genuinely and fairly, as demanded
in the last Republican National plat
form, and since he is opposing the
trusts and combines that pervert the
protective principles to their own bene-
fit, we are with him in the propo-
made, and that the protective prin-
ciples should be applied in behalf of
American labor, and not in behalf OF
American monopolies and combines.
That Attorney-General Wickersham has
made so poor a success of his prosecu-
tions is no fault of President Taft's;
because the President does not per
;onally take charge of these eases,
leaving the prosecution of them to the
Attorney Generals Office, where they
belong. 1t must be cause of vast
disgust to President Taft to find so
little practical effect come from these
successful prosecutions, and we
IAN imagine that he must be very i'm
patient of Attorney General Wicker
sham IS fascos. OF course, President
Taft does not wish to break up his
"a binet right on the eve of Presi-
lential elections; but that he would
continue in office such men as Wicker
ham, Wilson, and Fisher in his new
is not in the least to be
We support President Taft because
le is in favor of an honest downward
evision of the tariff, and because we
,elieve that he genuinely desires TO
ave the combines and trusts broken
Ip, and protective wages actually paid
O American labor We are convinced
hat the showings made in the
lawrence strike must convince the
President that a greater effectiveness
n the prosecution of trusts and COM
lines is necessary than has been
Exhibited heretofore by Attorney Gen"
raj Wickersham; and that the Presl'
ent will see to it that these prosecu-
IONS are more effectual by getting
,ore effective and earnest Attorney
'eneral, we have not the least doubt.