Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-10
TAFT IS SURVIVED
BY TARIFF STRIFE
Dispute Principal Among
Those of II Years Ago De-
spite U. S. Progress.
BY the Associated Press.


When William Howard Taft closed
his desk In the White House II years
ago this month, the Nation was moving
irresistibly toward q commanding in.
huence In world affairs, but apparently
was unaware of this progress because
OF its pickering and strife over domestic
issues principally the tariff.
He lived to see America become a
power of the first magnitude, yet the
din Of controversy over the tariff roared
on unsubsided at the hour Of his death.
The tariff, however, was not the sole
domestic issue to survive, for the plat
form which Taft carried to the country
in 1908 listed also the familiar topics
OF agriculture, railroads, conservation OF
natural resources, banking legislation,
pension, merchant marine and civil
service.
On the world horizon the question of
international peace had put in its ap-
pearance, and words similar TO those
used in setting forth the hopes Of the
present London Naval Conference were
employed in discussing the infant steps
The Hague tribunal had taken.
Further, Of world import, Taft on
that March morning could have Thought
of many things as he rode to the Capt.
toll to turn over the administration Of
the Government to Woodrow Wilson.
The Philippines, Cuba, relations with
other Latin American nations and the
Panama Canal all had played q part
in the four years just over.
Tariff Dispute Havoc.
Much had been thrust upon him.
The Payne-Aldrich tariff dispute had
wrecked, for what proved to be eight
years, a powerful political party. In
ternational affairs daily were taking an
increased scope. The Nation was grow
ing in many ways. The roar OF Amert-
can naval guns at Santiago had awak-
ened the Old World to the power Of the
Western Republic. This perhaps he
realized more than any one else.
From the Philippines, where Taft
went as the first governor general, ne
saw the effect the newly acquired pos
sessions would have on the future; as
Secretary of War plodding over the mud
banks of what is now the Panama
Canal he could ponder its import to this
and other nations, and again the War
Department placed him in direct con-
tact with Cuba and once more he could
think Of possible other Latin American
problems as he set up q government
in the little island.
Further, the Taft administration
heard much Of the echo Of the booming
by Roosevelt for q Navy second to
none"
Such was the sketchy picture Taft
carried with him from the White House.
He lived to see much Of 1t progress
rapidly toward completion. Many OF
those who had been associated with
him in those pioneering" days when
America was growing In power died
before him.
His opponent for once, william Jen-
ninRs Bryan, had passed on. His Vice
President, James Schoolcraft Sherman,
had died Just before his administration
retired from ONCE. Roosevelt, who
made him and who then defeated him,
was gone. Wilson, who had to settle
ing, died broken from the strain OF
the war that raised America to the
place Of prestige toward which it rapidly
had been heading. The roster of the
House and Senate was fllled with new
names. Another man, Warren @. Hard
ing, had risen to power and passed
away.
New Generations Control.
But Taft lived on. A new generation
controlled the Government.
Memories of the Payne-Aldrich tarih
must have flowed through his mind In
recent months as he heard the question
of high and low rates debated. The
dispute over sugar, especially that OF
GIlS E1llklpplIlcos uIuSG nave ISNSFC0
thoughts long dormant. Then pages Of
the Republican Campaign Handbook in
1912 were devoted to sugar.
AS the London Navy parley assem-
bled he perhaps recalled the words of
the 1908 platform. It read: THE con-
Spicuous contributions Of American
craftsmanship TO the cause Of inter-
national peace, so strongly advanced In
The Hague conference, are occasions for
just pride and qualification: We in
dorse such achievement as the highest
duty of people to perform and proclaim
the obligation Of further strengthening
the bonds OF friendship and good viii
with all the nations of the world"
Again Taft's administration heard of
flood control. The Mississippi food
than a year q farm act has been put
upon the statute books. Pensions for
Spanish War veterans during the Taft
period are paralleled with proposals now
for pensioning World War veterans.
The civil service question also is present.
Banking legislation, UP in Taft's time,
once more Is before Congress. Rail-
road legislation, of a different nature
than IT years ago, is pending
And while all this was taking place,
Taft. life the Nation, kept in motion.
From the bench Of the chief Justice
ship he watched much develop to COM
pletion. He also, from his seat on the
highest tribunal, was within hearing
distance Of the House and Senate, and
perhaps more than once he enjoyed
a good chuckle as he heard men wax
loud and eloquent In recent months ag
they stormed and stormed over the
tariff.