The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-01-09

WASHINGTON, December ". -
President Taft and the republican
leaders of Congress have agreed upon
a tariff program. 1t is based upon the
belief that the people of the country
are Overwhelmingly for the protective
principle in customs laws, and that if
put clearly to the voters this principle
will be sustained in the next presi-
Dental and congressional election.
The program is framed with the
confidence that the democrats intend
to force the tariff as the paramount
issue next year; that this can not be
avoided, even if desirable, and the
President and his followers are will
| ing to meet it squarely and fairly,
Build Republican Bill.
The republican members of the ways
and means committee of the House
are to begin at once putting together
wool bill, as already announced. This
bill is to be founded wholly upon the
report of the tariff board. The adj
ministration and the party leaders are
determined to stand or fall by the
data in this report, which the Presl-
dent pronounces the most scientific
series of facts and figures ever gotten
together upon tariff question.
Every step to be taken by the minor
ity republicans of the ways and means
committee will be with the co-opera-
ton and assistance of President Taft.
The bill will be drafted with the pur-
pose of giving to the various branches
of the wool industry, from the farmer
to the manufacturer, just the degree
of protection necessary to place him
on a footing above the foreigner en-
gagged in the same business. That is
the American farmer will have the
raw wool protected just enough to
prevent the cheap wool of Australia
Argentina and elsewhere coming in
here and running the home industry
The manufacturer in the various
branches will be treated the sbme
way. The protection will represent
the difference between the cost OF
raising and manufacturing abroad and
here. There will be no oyerprotection
but clear margin will be allowed
so that the American farmer, laboreI
or manufacturer win not find himself
competing in disastrous manner with
foreign countries.
Abuses OF the Tariff.
II is the firm belief of President Tai
and those in agreement with him that
the voters of the country have turned
against the present tariff law because
of it's inequalities and its giving toe
much protection, thereby encouraging
monopoly and high prices. If the
present laws have fostered monopoly
and restrained fair competition, the
bill to be framed by the republicans
will attempt to prevent this in the
future.
The republicans will present theil
bill to the full ways and means com
mittee and urge the democrats Il
accept it. If the democrats refuse t
do so and insist upon passing a meas
ure that carries insufficient protection
President Taft will veto it and go t
, the country upon the straight-cut issu'
of a protective tariff or one that the,
will claim will menace industry ant
business, and place the American la
borer, farmer and business man upoI
an European or South American plane
Every speaker in the next campaign
from Mr.. Taft, as the republican nom
inee for President, down, will hammer
the democratic policy from one ros
trum to another. The business inter
ests of the country will be aroused
Rready to Meet Issue.
The President is not ayerse to the
issue that he seems to apprehend az
practically certain. The only way the