The Washington herald., 1912-10-25
THE PRESIDENTS VIEWS.

Referring to the antitrust campaign,
and the doubt as to its effect existing
In the minds OF anti-Republicans. the
President gives some novel facts In his
explanation. He says In part:
I'VE hear a great deal about the in
efYectualness of the suits instituted by
Attorney General wickersham against
the Standard OIL Company and the So
called Tobacco Trust. 1 say that their
effectiveness cannot be disputed. Let
Us see what those suits have done for the
common goods. First. they have forced
the revelation of the exact financial
and commercial attributes OF both OF
those bodies. which hitherto had been
kept secret: second. they have forced
dissolution Of the parent company and
authorized. In its place. number OF
smaller and independent companies: third
we have restored competition, in this
instance. in two commodities: and last.
but not least, business has not been
disturbed or injured. Those are four
viewpoints susceptible OF further analy-
sis. 1t may be argued that the mere
knowledge Of the companies respective
financial affairs 10 of little or no pecu-
mary advantage to the people In general.
but II must be remembered that, advised
as to the commercial and financial oper-
atoms Of those two bodies. the people
are In a better position to contend. II
need be. against them and to regulate
them.
II am aware that the current beneath
all political agitation II q voice criticiz-
ing me because 1 approved the Payne
Aldrich tariff" the President tells the
interviewer. The platform upon which
I was elected President contained a re-
vision plank and ! committed myself to
It as intending downward revision, as
I stand thus committed to II now. But
so long as we carry the tariff into pol
itics, or politics into the tariff. II can
not be hoped to solve this great eco
nomic question. i succeeded. 20 far as
such things are possible in actual prac-
tice. in removing political influence from
an economic subject
After feiterating that the Panama
Canal IL the property OF the United
States and that title to II must not be
alenated in any way. the President In
dicates his great desire OF embodying In
all canal legislation phraseology to show
that the United States never intended
to repeal the Hay-Pauncefote treaty or
to violate its provisions. Co-ordinating
the interests between the Panama Canal
and the State Department. the President
strongly advocates the present policy Of
the State Department as the best ever
undertaken. He says in part:
1T Is to be regretted that the De-
partment OF State il repeatedly criticized
for its activities with the claim that d.
plomacy and business do not mix. Never
has our importance in world matters
been greater than II is to-day. 1t is
growing every day in a normal, well-di-
rected manner. How has this improve
ment been accomplished? Through our
State Department. but not by means of
Black Cabinet diplomacy of historical
fame, but in an open and board
way. and from the standpoint OF busi-
ness and equal rights
OF the Mexican revolution and its re-
suits to American interests. the Presi-
dent says that jingoes do not believe
that the United States will ever find
it necessary to engage in an actual war.
but will find a suitable display of SUM-
Client military action to cover the other
nations into submission the only need
The pressure for Intervention" Mr.
Taft says. ''at times has been great,
and grounds Upon which. it is said. We
might have interviewed have been urged
upon us. but this administration has
been conscious that one hostile step in
Intervention and the passing OF the bor-
der by one regiment OF our troops would
mean war with Mexico. the expenditure
of hundreds of millions Of dollars. the
loss OF thousands Of lives in the tran
publication Of that country, with all the
problems that would arise as
to its disposition after We found our
selves in complete armed possession.