The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-04

tached. Mr.. Taft appointed the COM
mission. the personnel or purpose OF
which was above CRITICISM Then he
started In TO defend the new bill It
was the best tariff bill we have had"
when he signed 1t that summer.
When he was we'll launched on his
l3, 600-milc trip through the West and
South which began September 15. and
concluded November 10. 1909, however.
he quickly learned OF the discomfort
throughout those sections OF the coun-
try over the bill. Then he urged the
country To await reports from his
Tariff Commission, wait Of approx
matclN two years before the report
on the first schedule could be ex-
pectcd,
In September OF the following year.
Mr.. Tart announced that reciprocity
negotiations would begin with Can
ada In October. In November the
Democrats came into power I'm the
House because Of the Payne Aldrich
tariff bill At tho conclusion or the
short session following. Mir. Taft called
the sixty second Congress into eXtraor-
binary session 10 frame Il reciprocity
measure, which was passed and re-
jccted by Canada that fall During
tho extra session, the Underwood
Ways and Means Committee began re-
porting out tariff hills. schedule by
schedule. Mr.. Taft. despite the IN
dcfensiblc" features OF the Pavno-
Aldrich bill. gave 1t to DO undcrstoo
that he would not approve any tariff
bill pending the report or the tariff
commission. Two bills were sent To
the White House and were vetoed.
the cotton and wool bills, both OF
which had been passed in tho Senate
with the aid OF Progressive Rcpubli-
cans, and by them amended. Particu-
N coli nrIt ia,.,
his veto of the wool bin. which veto.
In the last analysis. was because tho
Underwood La Toilette bill called for
adj valorem instead Of SPECIFIC duties.
The President intimatcd that if the
minority bill Of tho Ways and Means
Committee. prepared by representa-
tive Ebcnezcr Hill. of Connecticut
with tho advice OF tho Tariff Commits
sion. should be substituted. he would
Sign It,
The Hill bill called for specific d,,
ties and forecast the report of the
Tariff Board. Before 1t was presented
however. Mr.. Hill was forced to make
certain arbitrary increases In dulles
OH raw wool by his Republican col
leagues on the Ways and Means Com
mittec. so that as IT was presented IN
the House 1t carried greater meas
ure or protection than the Underwood
La Toilette compromise bill, which tho
ITeStUenl vetoed.
Wool Bfll Vetoed
The wool bill was vetoed Aucust
IL, and tho veto was sustained nv ;,
dangerously close vote in the House
OH the following day. The Tariff
Board report on the wool schedule did
not come out until December 20.
If President Taft had no other fca
ture OF his administration TO look
back upon with complete satisfaction.
say those who know him most ;nti-
mately. he would feel amply compcn
stated for four years OF arduous and
az present, little appreciated effort be-
cause of the hand he has had In build
ing up u strong Federal judiciary. and
In the fact that his work in this regard
has forced for itself general and fav.
cradle recognition.
OF the nine members Of the United
States Supreme Court, four are Taft
appo'ntees, involving the elevation in
December. 1910. OF the present chief
Justice. Edward Douglas White, to sue
coed the late Chief Justice Melville W.
Fuller.
The new members and the dates OF
their appointments are: Associate JUS
t!ces Horace Harmon Lurton. Democrat,