Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-03-07
TAFT ON THE TARIFF.
tF'rom the Hartford Courant)

The surprise sprung upon the Outlook 3
readers this week Is an interview with
the President of the United States. 1t Is
laheled-correctly no doubt-an author
i1ed interview. The subject is the tariff
This session the democrats In Congress
are repeating the partisan tactics EN-
ployed by them at the special session.
No, with any thought OF really legislat-
ing; not with any honest purpose to
Tighten the peoples burdens not at all
Just to put Taft IN hole" Just to be
able to say on the stump that they had
tried to revise downward and the repub-
lican President wouldn't let them. They
are at the same old and crude game again
this winter; they seen, to cling 10 the be-
lief that it's dead easv to pull the wool
over the country's eyes
Speaking OF wool, you may remember
that one of those democratic special ses-
sion bills was a bill TO revise the wool
and woolens schedule-Schedule X. Pres-
dent Taft remembers anyhow; he vetoed
the bill. and In this interview he tells
why He also reminds the country that
the democrats in Congress grew indignant
and eloquent over the wickedness OF walt
nile X when the people would soon be
shiverinG with cold hut unable to buy
warm clothes because they cost 50
much"
IIe transmitted the tariff boards re-
port to Congress more than two months
ago.
Here we are In March.
Have the democrats revised the wool
and wooden duties? Not they.
Iustead-without waiting for the au-
thentic data that would have enabled
them to proceed intelligently and that
will he O, their use by-and-by unless
they abolish the tariff board or refuse to
appropriate for Its necessary expenses
they have revised latter their fashion,
| the metal and chemical schedules. and
are now by the ears over the sugar
| schedule. They are not after Legislative
| results; they are after campaign materia-
in the form OF more Taft vetoes. Oh
course the President doesn't SAY this ir
! the outlook interview; It wasn't needful
| The situation explains itself.
What are the things the President does
! say? He ie a. protectionist: he wants u
make the protective tariff stable by MAX
| ing 1t self-cvidently reasonable and equit
| able. He wants to get rid of the old
| time. COMMUNICATING, business paralyz
| ing general revision and the log-roll'
| that have always and inevitably gon'
| with IT, His idea IL that changes should
| be made from time to time In this or thu
| other schedule ~ they are seen TO b'
needed. and with as little excitement ant
| disturbance as possible. To this end M
would have Congress-and the people-ir
possession Of exact and trustworthy IN
| form alton as 10 the cost OF productoF
here and abroad. As a means to this enc
| he would convert the present unpar'sar
and etficient tariff hoard into continu
| ing. permanent board alway' at Con
sresss and the countrys service Hs
| thinks that the tariff has been mere
! football OF politics. long enough-tof
| long indeed But ] should like to have
| the people OF the United states pass the''
| deliberate Judgment on the issue as u
| has been made up within the last year
the difference between the commonsenst
way and the hapha1ard way Of making
tariff law" says william H. Taft There
| you have the outlines Of my tarin plan
and Of the conflict between my admins
tration and Its opponents. IN Congress
and elsewhere. on the tarif question.
am quite content to let the sober. think
inG people Of the United States decide be
| tween US.
lie we'll may be content