The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1912-12-13
LEAVES TARIFF FIGHT
FOR HIS SUCCESSOR
Taft Turns Over Further Revi-
sion to Wilson.
Urges More BattIeships and Endorses
the Scheme of Currency Reform
Has Praise for Supreme
Court and Army.

President Taft will make no effort to
have congress reduce the tariff In a
general message submitted to con-
gress the president clearly indicated
his intention of leaving further tariff
revision to Mr.. Wilson and the con-
gress selected at the recent election
81 have regarded it as my duty"
said President Taft, Gin former mes
sages to the congress to urge the re-
vision of the tariff upon principles of
protection. 1t was my judgment that
the customs duties ought to be re-
vised downward, but that the reduc-
ton ought not be below a rate which
would represent the difference in the
cost of production between the arti-
Gle in question at home and abroad,
and for this and other reasons |
vetoed several bills which were pre-
sented to rae in the last session OF
this congress.
"Now that a new congress has
been elected on a platform of tariff
for revenue only rather than pro-
tective tariff, and is to revise the
tariff on that basis, it is needless for
me to occupy the time of this con-
gress with arguments or recOmenda-
lions in favor of a protectice tariff"
Other Matters Discussed.
Mr.. Taft deprecated the new policy
of one battleship a year instead of
two, and Endorsed again the scheme
of currency reform proposed by the
national monetary commission.
The president did not approve the
plan for immediate autonomy for the
Philippines and independence in eight
years, as proposed in a bill pending
in congress.
Conservation was lightly touched,
the president recommending the
amendment of bills now before con-
gress SO that water power companies
which dam navigable rivers will con-
tribute to the improvement of these
streams.
He declared that no radical change
in the Sherman antitrust law was
needed, and praised the supreme
court for its recently announced
changes in rules of equity procedure.
In this connection the president ask
ed congress to pass legislation which
would allow the supreme court to for
mulate rules of procedure, and pre-
dicted that such action would facil-
itate justice in those courts and re-
duce the cost of litigation to the pub
lie.
The Panama canal was dismissed
in few words, the president prophe-
sying it's opening in the latter half of
1913.
To Build Up Militia.
The army the president discussed
at some length. He praised the army
legislation of the last congress, but
said that provision should be made by
law SO that the nations foreign regi-
ments may be always maintained up
on a war footing, and he urged the
passage of the pending militia pay
bill, designed to make service in the
militia more enticing, and showed
that the home army will be nothing
more than skeleton" until congress
provides that it be concentrated in
fewer posts than are now maintained.
In addition to his advice in regard
to legislation and his opposition to
pending measures, the president dis
cussed the prosperity of the nation,
its financial condition and the pro-
posed system of a national budget
showing proposed expenditures and
revenues; and called attention to the
balance in the general fund of the
treasury of almost $17OOOO,OOO.