New-York tribune., 1912-02-09
From The Tribune Bureau.l
Washington, February :.


WHICH IS BETTER ?-Wi1l an admins
tration stand stronger before the country II
its every achievement is thoroughly and
forcefully advertised when il becomes
fact and that advertising is kept up from
inauguration to election, or do the Ameri-
can people prefer to do their own observing
and their own thinking, only TO be remind
ed Of the achievements of their public ser
wants when a campaign Is approaching?
That is one Of the questions which the
friends Of this administration are seriously
asking themselves. Those who have taken
occasion recently to examine the records ot
the Taft administration are themselves
surprised TO discover how much has been
accomplished and how little has been said
about it. or course, i'm the approaching
campaign the record will figure largely III
the Republican textbook and VIII be
proclaimed from every political stump. hut
has not the Taft administration suffered
because it has proceeded so quietly and
blown its own trumpet so little?
TRUST PROSECUTGONS.-H many
people realize what the Taft administration
has done in supprcssinS unfair compct-
ton. in ponalizing those methods by which
lNI years loNtIlh VI lilullSNilG4 ''il''' i'S wa "
with impunty destroyed competition and
| forced their smaller competitors to the
wall? Is it generally realized that this adj
mnistraton has conducted to successful
! issue forty-four antitrust prosecutions?
Does the man with abundant enterprise but
with limited capital understand how many
of those captains Of industry who I'm the
past have never hestatcd at any method Of
crushing the little fellow are under In
junction not again 10 employ such methods
and that the men cnjOined know-for
their high priced attorneys do not fail TO
tell thcm-that If they vioIate those injunc-
tiOns they will be hailed into court and sem
fenced to jail or penitentiary terms for con-
tempt. without any protractod litigation or
any OF those chances for evading penalty
! which they have hitherto enjoyed? And,
| finally. do the smaller business men and
! consumers Of the country realize that the
! hostility TO President Taft and the liberal
! contribution Of funds to procure 'rump'
conventions and hamper the efforts Of sim
Ccre supporters 10 rcnominate Taft are due
to his innexible enforcement of the anti
trust law?
| FINANCES.-Finance is a dry subject 20
all save those who make 1t a speciality, and
e is hard to interest the man in the street
/ i'm the subject. despite the fact that the ma
tional finances are of the utmost importance
to him The Enactment Of the Payne tariff
bill, for instance. converted an annual
deficit Of SOS O0O 900 into n surplus Of $50
600 O0O. II should not he hard for the man
in the street. the ultimate taxpayer. to re-
allZe that this constituted saving to him,
that il precludcd tho necessity for impos-
ing additional taxes and that, indeed. It
paved the way for further ;arfT revision.
In connection with this IL may be reca llod.
for tic benefit Of those who espousc the
| Democratic view. that Chairman Under
wood explained 10 his colleagues In the
House that II was impossible for him 10
make raw wool free because Of the condl-
tiou Of the national finances. so that oven
the Democratic leaders must conccde that
President Taft has done much TO pave tho
way for the reforms they advocate by in
creasing the surplus and curtailng federal
expenses
TARIFF REV1SION.--It is a safe propo-
sit!on that any reasonably intelligent man
who without prejudice will examine the
achievements OF the Taft administration in
the direction Of procuring just and reason
/ able tariff revision will be compelled by the
! facts TO give his cordial approval 10 the
( Taft policy. But how many have followed
/ the determined and successful effort Of the
/ President 10 secure a Tariff Board and to
procure from Congress the funds necessary
/ 10 enable it to develop the facts? Had not
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