New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-12
SAYS THEY IGNORE TARIFF
Mr.. Macveagh, Secretary of the
Treasury, Praises Taft Policy.
ROOSEVELT DODGES ISSUE"
Declares Elk President Plays Up
Other Subjects and Avoids
Chief Topic.

Franklin MacVeagh. Secretary ot tho
Treasury. In speaking on the tariff last
night Al ihe annual dinner Of the National
Metal Trades Association al the Hotel
Astor. said that. i'm his opinion the OBJ
struction put IN the way Of scientific re-
vision Of the tariff schedule by schedule
was the most rcactonary thing that has
taken place In our politics I'm many years.
Secretary MacNeagh urged strongly an
adoption Of The manner of tariff revision
urged by President Taft. and. though he
did not mention tho President or The adj
mnistration his whole speech was in sup
port Of the tariff policy urged by President
TAFT.
The present eclipse of the tariff question,
as he called IT. Secretary MacVeagh as
cribed :" IN" desire Of cx- President RooSe-
welt to introduce other issues than this,
regarding it. rs h. always did. as an I'M
pertinent ono Commenting upon the alb
sence Of tariff discussion from political
meetings. Nj MacVoagh said:
little while ago it was presumed. and
confidently proclaimed. that the tariff would
he the issue not only in tho coming election
campaign, hut in the nomination campaign
for the Presidency. Colonel Roosevelt
issues. having always considered the taTitt
question as something impertinent; and,
a usual. what the colonel resolves 70 be
Interested In I'm p campaign Is pretty likely
10 he discussed to the exclusion or other
things. Even the great men Of our New
YORK convention. day or two ago Yielded
Whether this eclipse Of the tariff issue Is
Ia he very brief or not so very hrcf, n ~
little hard to say. II is not susceptible
Of mathematical calculation Ike other
eclpses.
Despite all this, Secretary MacVeagh
said. the tariff issue had come 10 stay.
whether II was going into a long or short
eclipse a campaign matter. n was one
of the great questions NJ American business
and politics. and II was also a great ques-
ton for society at large.
TT IL not hazardous prophecy, there
fore, 10 say that the tariff issue has come
70 stay. now that it has secured place on
the public stage" he said. II do not be-
lieve any OF us-not even Colonel Roose
velt-can dlspossess II. for any considerable
time. Of the place II now occupies, until
very much more has been done in the way
Of revision and IN the way ~ reconstruc-
tlon."
Touching upon the expectation expressed
from some quarters that the tariff Issue
might cease now to be a political or party
matter. Mr. MacVeagh said that IN It's
present phase there was no chance of
taking the tariff out Of politics and for the
simple reason that II belonged In the po-
litica arena. being essentially political
and party question.
There were the two tariff theories, dis
tinctly opposed 10 each other and unrecon-
cilable. he added. The protection theory
and that Of tariff for revenue have been
long associated with their parties. and have
constituted a very important part Of the
differentiation Of the parties he explained
In this state Of facts tho tariff had to re-
main political question, he said, and
added
or course there can come a time. and
there must come a time, when these op-
posing tariff policies will be blended into
ono policy, accepted by and made character
istic OF the country We may not have TO
wait a very great length OF time for this
rtsult-for this evolution, this consumma-
ton. / think indeed, the country Is be
coming notwithstanding vaguely. but de-
termlned-to have a tariff policy that ~
national and which represents the whole
people And OF course. when that comes
about, then the tariff question VIII cease 10
be partisan. Such differences OF view
among individual citizens as shall then
exist Will be purely economic differences.
Party lines respecting this subject VIII dis
appear then, of course. But at present the
tariff is q sure-enough pontcal issue anu
partisan 10 the core.
very Important fact In this connection
IS that radical change has already taken
place. The, parties are arrayed againSI
radically new. For both parties and the
people are now equally enlisted to reform
the tariff and to revise 1t downward, even
though the parties are still adhering TO
their differing fundamental theories. Neither
PARTY is resisting reformation or reduction.
And so YOU can see that an evolution Is al
work which promises an undisputed national
policy
possible difference through the entry
OF a free trade issue. Secretary MacNeagh
said, was very remote. because at present
neither party believed in free trade. But,
remote as the prospect Of free trade was
I'm this country. he added, II was hard to
see how any one could doubt that free
trade would ultimately, be the practice or
this country and OF all other enlightened
and self-rellant countries as we'll with
the general desire to prevent military wars.
there has also sprung up the desire 10 pre-
vent industrial wars, he said, and when
these desires will be fulfilled the end OF
tariff systems must come.
Meanwhile there remained the practical
question before the people. Secretary Mac
Veagh said how progress toward lower
tariff should be made. The protective SEN
tlment OF the country was not super
fetal one. but IL was deep seated feeling'
he explained: therefore this large question
must be treated largely.