Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-02-02
WHY TAFT is LOOMING BACK"
Achievements Calculated to Arouse
Opposition from Selfish Interests.

Opposition from Selfish Interests.
[From the Portland Oregonan, 1nde-
pendent.l
Taft's methods have been such that he
has not secured immediate credit for his
good work He has left his good work
to speak for him, and though 1t gains a
man due credit in the end, that end is
sometimes long delayed Meantime the
public ear is filled with the clamor of
self-seekers and those who cannot con-
ceive of public servant having no
other motive than to render good service
to the people.
AS with one OF his predecessors, the
people should love Taft for the enemies
he has made. Con over the list and see
| If they are not the right kind OF enc
mics for man whose sole aim Is to
enforce the law as it stands and amend
| ii in such fashion that ii shall more
| closely conform to Justice.
He has prosecuted violators of the an
THRUST law with such impartiality that
| political associates and college classmates
are not spared He has put such life
into this law that these men, who scott
ed at 1t as a dead letter, now beg to
nave 1t extended, that the government
may protect them against their own
proneness to wrongdoing. These men
| who have felt the scourge of the law are
| his enemies.
He has consistently adhered to a tar
| if policy which will cut out the graft
| without impairing the rational protec-
| tive features of the tariff which will re-
| lieve the consumer from extortion with
out hardship to the producer; which will
make each schedule stand on its merits,
| as defined by an impartial board, in
| stead of allowing those interested in ex-
| cessive duties to pool their interests in
order to perpetuate such duties. BY Sc
curing the insertion in the PayneAldrich
law of provision for the tariff board he
| insured that that should be the last
tariff bill prepared under the old log
rolling system, and that all future tariff
bills should be based on ascertained
facts collected by a nom partisan body.
So clearly did he see that this was the
| only rational policy that he did not fear
to awaken a roar of denunciation by
vetoing the Democratic bills which did
! not conform to it. The general approval
with which the report of the wool tariff
has met, is acceptance by the standpat-
tiers as a guide, the embarrassment of the
| irreconcilable Insurgents and the cries
of Democrats for the abolition of the
tariff board are the vindication of Taft s
policy. But he has made enemies of the
| manufacturers, who see the end of their
tariff graft approaching, and of the pol
itlcians, who wish to keep the tariff in
politics for political purposes Are they
not the right kind of enemies for a
faithful public servant?
He has conserved the public domain
by setting aside forest, coal and phos-
plate land and waterpower sites, and
has proposed reform in the land laws
which will conserve this wealth from the
eXploiter, but will permit its use. He
has thus made enemies of both the ex.
ploiters of the public domain and the
conservationists who would prevent its
use.
He has approved "a plan of monetary
reform which has won the Endorsement
of business men, little as well as big
but by so doing he has incurred tn,
enmity of those who "see red" at ever,
mention of money, and of all those IL
whose disordered brains the greenbacl
and free silver crazes still linger.
He has secured the creation of posta
savings banks in face of bankers pro
tests, and proposes a parcels post, there
by making enemies of the express com
panies. He has given a free hand t.
Colonel Goethals, the canal digger a
Panama, and urges Congress to hastei
settlement of tolls and management. H
proposes to abolish useless navy yard
and custom houses, though he thereb,
antagonizes number of petty local in
terests and their representatives in Con
gress. He proposes a wholesale exten
sion of the civil service system, which
would deprive congressman of mucl
, power and patronage. He saves million
by economy in administration and pro
poses to put system into the nationa
. finances by means of an annual budget
President Tafts enemies are those h.
has made by doing his duty to the ma
tion-those who have fallen foul of hin
because they are enemies of the publ
: good. The kind of enemies he has mad
are his strongest recommendation to tn