Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-05-31
OHIO REPUBLICANS.

state convention at Columbus last
week and renominated all of their state
officers, with Governor Myron T. Her.
rick at the head. Those Democratic
papers which Were looking for a fac
tional fight between the Foraker forces
and those who inherited Mr. Hanna's
leadership, were doomed to disap-
pOintment. There was large at
tendance of delegates and the utmost
harmony prevailed throughout the pro-
ceedings.
There was local and general inter-
est in the convention owing to the
fact that Secretary Taft, who is an
Ohioan and authorized to speak for
the national administration, was an
nounced to make the principal ad-
dress. In opening Secretary Taft re-
ferred briefly to the handsome en-
dorsement given President Roosevelt
at the polls last November and the
honors paid him recently by his polit-
ical opponents. OF the latter he said:
when a president like Theodore
Roosevelt, a consistent and orthodox
Republican, is welcomed with bursts
of enthusiasm and admiration in Tex
as and in the Democratic Iroquois
club of Chicago, We may well liken
the present to the era of political good
feeling which prevailed early in the
last century,"
Tn IL tho III,
dore Roosevelt the chief issue of the
campaign he was chan sed with ''im-
perialism, militarism, usurpation of
power. violations of the constitution,
a dangerous foreign policy Of inter-
meddling and an attempt to introduce
a personal government"
This, the secretary sald brought in
review the action of the president in
various matters which he pointed out,
notably the recognition of the repub-
lie of Panama, the settlement of the
anthracite coal strike, the bringing
Of the Northern Securities suit and
his Philippine policy.
1T made manifest the secretary
continued, 1.-The consistent attitude of
Mr.. Roosevelt in that he was neither
plutocrat nor 'mobOcrat.'
Speaking upon the all absorbing
question of railroad rate legislation
and referring to the bill which pass
ed the lower house of congress last
winter, Mr.. Taft said:
The bill as it passed the house of
representatives attempts to give more
power to the railroad commission so
that it's order, when made, shall be
effective until set asi0e by judicial
hearing. 1t does not as yet provide
for general fixing of table of rates
by the commission, but only calls for
the liking OF a minimum rate upon
complaint OF shippers, with specific
instances OF injustice. 1t seems a
moderate measure, calculated to give
the added power to the commission
necessary to effectiveness in remedy
ing specific wrongs in rates without
creating an all powerful tribunal
which shall in advance take away
from railways the power of rate MAX
ing and OF elastically responding to
varying conditions. 1t will not thus
paralyze individual effort in meeting
the changed demands of trade. We
can certainly trust our law givers to
respond to the popular demand and
to regulate the railways so far as
they ought to be regulated without in.
terfering with that control over their
own property and with that motive
for efficiency and economic manage
ment which are still required to make
successful the enormous business OF
railway transportation in America.
Catt1aA nv thn
Republicans"
AS we understand it, President
Roosevelt does not urge that the ma
tiOnal railroad commission be cloth
ed with power to initiate rates, but
be empowered to change those made
by the railroads when found to be
eXorbitant and unjust, on complaint
of shippers. Nothing should be done
to hamper the railroads in their legi.
innate business. They have their
rights and should be protected in them
but there can be no question as to
the right and power of the govern,
ment to exercise supervisory control
of them for the purpose of correcting
| evils that certainly exist.
To the charge now frequently heard
! that President Roosevelt is "advocat
ing Democratic doctrines" and thai
he is not in line with his party, that
the Republican party is the party Of
the wealthy class, Mr.. TAFT replies
as follows:
The Republican party by its enc
mics is falsely charged with Delhs
party of corporations and part! y
the wealthy. The history OF JUS sag
rifices in favor of human rign!s, an.
of its contests for indivtduahsm a.