Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-05-25

here by more than 1,100 delegates
when the state convention to nominate
candidates for the governorship
and other state officers was called to
order this afternoon. Secretary OF War
Taft, as temporary chairman, delivered
the opening speech in, this years poll
ttcal campaign. He spoke In part as
follows:
Taft's Address.
Follow republicans OF Ohio: con-
gratulate you on the prosperous poll
tical calm in which you meet. The
tremendous victory of last fall SO
stunned our ancient enemy, the Dem
ocracy, that as party It hardly even
now is showing any sign Of life. Then a
president like Theodore Roosevelt, a
consistent and orthodox republican, is
welcomed with bursts Of enthusiasm
and admiration in Texas and in the
democratic Iroquois club Of Chicago,
we may well liken the present to the
era of political good feeling which pre-
vailed early in the last century,
The secretary rapidly sketched the
attitude Of the republican party on the
currency question since 1896. referred
| to the Spanish war and its results and
| then said:
"In the campaign of 1904 the demo.
cratic managers ignored the fact that
it ever had been Ia favor Of free silver
and sought to make the chief issue the
personality of Theodore Roosevelt
Against him they charged Imperialism
militarism, disruption Of power, viola
tions of the constitution, dangerous
Il \ ~
an attempt to Induce personal govern
ment.
This the secretary said brought ii
review the. actions Of the President II
various matters which he pointed 'out
notably the recognition Of the republic
of Panama the settlement of the an
thracite coal strike, the bringing of the
i Northern Securities suit. and his Phil
/. ippine policy. It made manifest,
the secretary continued, "the consist
ent attitude Of Mr.. Roosevelt in tina
he was neither plutocrat nor a mob
ocrat'"
| The managers Of the tlemocrati,
party, he said, in the last. campaign
had begun "as friends Of certain Wal
street interests, but as the campaign
shaped itself even the kings of tn,
i street refused to put their money on
beaten horse and withdrew from tn,
contest, leaving the poor democratic
leaders wallowing in the slough o
j despond.' into which their pusillam
inous course had led them" Secretar,
Taft then referred to the democrati
charges of corruption against the Pres
ident and the chairman of the republ
can national committee and to 9Th
outburst of indignant denial from tn
President, which the secretay sal
: should serve as a lesson to thos
f tempted to calumny at a campaign
: end.
r It is not true" he went on, "that W
/ republicans merely by past success
! can escape the responsibility of worl
ing out other gerat questions as to tn
Y solution of which all republicans d
f not yet seem to be in full accord"
Railroad Rate Legislation.
The secretary said that the inte
state commerce law had accomp1ishe
y much but that inequality and injustic
r rem aimed Discussing the propose
i remedial bill as it passed the house {
8 representatives the secretary "a
tempts to give more power to the raj
road commission so that its order
when made shall be effective until 81
aside by judicial hearing. 1t doe
! not as yet" he said, provide for
general fixing Of table of rates b
the commission, but only calls for
e fixing of maximum rate upon cor
: plant with respect to a specific i
J. (Continued on Page 81