The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-03-15
TAFT WILL VETO
ALL TARIFF BILLS
(By Winfield Jones.)

Washington, March 6.-Determined
opposition against tariff legislation of
any character at this session OF con-
gress has developed, and indications
iare that strong campaign has been
organized against the proposed changes
in the present schedules.
! The American Protective Tariff
League has begun the fight and the
general expectation here is that unit
ed army of the chief beneficiaries of
the protective tariff, as we'll as many
! republican standpat politicians, will
be marching on the capital before
many days have gone by.
/ At the last session the foes of low
duties in an dout of the American Pro
tective Tariff League camped on the
trail of President Taft and constantly
urged him to veto the tariff bills pass
ed by congress. They argued it would
+ be unwise to undertake to alter the
various schedules until the tariff board
had furnished data on which to build
an intelligent plan of tariff revision.
The American Protective Tariff Lea
que wit hthe standpat members of the
republican party, are getting ready to
again sound the battle-cry against
"tinkering with the tariff" during this
session.
\ A resolution passed by the tariff
league and given to the public recent
ly declares against a ''piece-meal" re-
vision. The document further argues
that intelligent adjustment of tariff
duties is a practical impossibility when
dealing with one schedule at a time,
for the reason that each and every
schedule is more or less correlated
with some other schedule or sched-
ules.
Continuing, the league declares the
business of the country ought not to
be subjected to blunders of piece-meal
tariff revision" 1t is asserted that If
other revision must come it should be
in the shape of a general tariff meas
ure framed with proper regard for the
interdependence of producing inter-
ests. An adjustment of rates and
schedules, it is further urged, should
be made as shall secure uniformity.
! The resolution further recites that
if the country wants more tariff re-
vision, and if it wants such revision
to be in the direction of free trade,
the country has the right and the
power to compel law enactment of
this character 1t continues:
IF, on the contrary, the country
wants tariff that shall be adequately
protective of all forms of American
labor an dindustry the country will
get that kind of tariff In any case,
the country should decide this ques-
tion as whole, and not in chunks.
That is the only safe and sensible
way of settling the tariff question.
This declaration of the Protective
Tarin League indicates how the forces
are now drawn up for the impending
battle during this session of congress,
and has proved of great interest to
the lawmakers who will be called up
on to take part in the struggle.
/ The announcement further indicates
that strong pressure will be brought
to bear on the president to veto any
tariff bills that reduce the schedules
1t was freely predicted at the time
President Taft vetoed the tariff bills
sent to him during the special session
of Congress and announced that he
would recommend revision by sched-
ule based on facts presented by his
tariff board, that he would take a sim
liar stand at this congress.
The action of the Protective League
and recent other developments make
it apparent that this prediction is to
materfalize, and that the president
and the "oId guard" republicans will
be lined up strongly in effort to balk
revision. They believe if they can pre-
vent piece-meal revision at the coming
session they can defeat revision al
together The democratic house is op-
posed to a general revision at this
time.
AS the situation now stands it will
be continuous struggle through the
session The schedule revised plan
is expected to go through the demo
cratic house, although it will not have
clear sailing there. but the standpat-
ters put their faith in the conservative
and hide bound senate and it is there
that the final stand against revision is
expected to be made If revision
passes the senate, Taft looms up in
the background with the veto club.