The Washington times., 1912-03-10
THE REAL TAFT RECORD.

In the news columns Of The Times today is
presented the outline Of an analysis, shortly to be
made public, Of the record Of the Taft Admnistra-
tlon. 1t is the purpose, we are assured to con-
line this consideration to matters of record; to in
dulge no lnvectve, no rhetoric but simply to take
up, one by one, the various progressive measures
that have been passed during the present Admin
lstration and determine clearly the responsibility for
and authorship of them.
This is piece of work very much needed 1t
should be done by somebody whose spirit and dis
position would insure fairness and sincerity. If the
Taft Administration has, in fact, been marked by
monuments of constructive achievement, such as
Director Mckinley would have us descry through the
fogs and msts of his eloquent but sadly indefinite,
bulletins, then the country is entitled to know it, and
Mr.. Taft to get his vindication
If on the other hand, Mr.. Taft's tariff record is
bad; if he did, in fact, veto a wool bill that ought
to have been signed; if he did try to force reci-
procity deal that would have injured the country; if
he was responsible for the defeat of an income tax
measure, the facts ought to be set forth clearly, by
the record plainly that the responsibility cannot
be overlooked
If Mr.. Taft and his aides did draft and try to
pass a railroad act that would have broken down
the previous accomplishments in the direction of
railroad control, that ought to be developed and
made clear beyond uncertainty, from the record it.
self.
If the President did in fact announce his pur-
pose to defeat Cannon's reelection as Speaker; and
if he did thereafter himself and become the
most ardent and the most effective supporter Of Can
non, practically forcing Cannon upon House that
would have unoaded him but for the help of the Ad-
mnstration- that fact is entitled to be known
clearly and with all the necessary specifications that
careful citations from the record would bring to its
reinforcement.
If at its very beginnings on the threshold of
its fouryear lease Of power the Taft Administration
used its patronage, prestige and political influence
to cement and reenforce combination Of Cannonism
and Tammanyism to save the regime of reaction in
the House, that fact ought to be developed buttress-
ed by citations from the records, and made so clear
to the country that none could entertain misgivings
about it,
People here in Washington, who have lived
through this series of events understand these rea-
tionships know that these things are true; know
that all the progress achieved under this Adminstra-
ton has been forced upon it by those whom it has
chosen to regard as its enemies; know that it would
have been a regime of unrelieved reaction, if there
had not been pressure from the outside that at times
spoiled well-laid plans.
Let the country have this same information in
detail and authority that cannot be questioned
let the records be cited and let the marshallng OF
facts be impressive that neither effective denial
nor honest doubts may be possible.
With that demonstration of the whole truth
about the Taft Administration the countrys verdict
will be removed from the realm of possible doubt