The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-07-12
Taft's Talk Misleading.

terances in these things are due to new
statutes; that the VindicatiOn which the
law IS now receiving is due to congress
siOna action since 1904. But that is not
SO. Not one of the successful prosecu-
tons for which the existing admlnistra-
ton is now entitled to credit is based
on any new statute. Every single one of
them down TO this date rests solely upon
the law as it stood in 1904, and ii should
not be lost sight of by a discriminating
public that the law could have been en-
forced in 1904 and in 1893 and in 1902, just
as well as today Had it been the wrongs
from which the people have suffered
would not have so multiplied
interesting but Not Accurate.
hSecretary Tafts speech at Green's
boro, n. c." says Judge Parker, was
interesting throughout but it cannot be
said that il was accurate throughout. l
shall only refer to the statement in which
he alluded to the position taken by me in
the campaign of 1904 in substance and eff
feet that we have law enough to stop
every corporate abuse; that all that is
lacking is an administration disposed to
enforce the law.
Il said in the letter of acceptance I'M
der the title of Trust Remedies I point
ed out in my earlier response the remedy
which in my judgment can effectually
be applied against mOnOpolieS and the
assurance was given that II existing laws
including both statute and common law,
proved inadequate contrary TO my eXpec-
tations. l favor such further legislation
with constitutional limitations as will
best promote and safeguard the inter-
ests OF all the people
Parker's Speech in 1905.
Il emphasized the same thought on 9TH
er occasions in public speeches. l reiter-
ated it in d speech on Jefferson day, 1893,
in which l said: The plain truth is that
there has been no time during the past
eight years since the abuses alleged be-
fls.r hon fE.au~ a how
been eliminated. Nothing has been so
much needed as a rigid, honest, unyield-
ing enforcement of the law, both civil
and criminal. But instead of going on
with the enforcement of the law against
rebates by putting the railroad Officials
responsible for them behind the prison
bars precisely we do other malefac
tors, the misconduct is made an excuse
for further concentration of power in the
federal government.
Jail for the Criminals.
1t is expected by the administration
and the railroad officials who openly con-
sent to the movement, as we'll as by those
who are OStensibly opposed to it, that the
people in their just indignation at the
wrongs done to the many for the benefit
of the few. will lose sight of the danger
of SO vast a Capitalization of power until
IT is too late to check it. But we should
never forget that the safety of our in
situations is involved in every such move
mcnt and, instead of submitting to II,
should insist that when a trust or a rail-
road has violated the criminal law the
place for the guilty official is in jail or
the penitentiary, not in the cabinet or in
the board rooms of great corporations.
We do not defend or excuse any wrongs
but we must insist upon the truth of the
maxim that two wrongs do not make a
right
Remedy Is Not New.
Until after this last utterance no Wis
ible action has been taken by an admin
istration that had been in power about
four years to check corporate and trust
abuses by an appeal to the criminal
courts. After that steps were taken, and
] submit that the result proves the truth
fulneSs of the assertion often made by
me- that we have an abundance of law to
put an end to all offenses against the
public by the officers of the trusts and
great corporations of the country.
The administration has now discov-
cred not only that there is enforceable
law against the giving of rebates, and
law adequate to check Illegal combina-
TONS but that the persons engaged in its
violation can be punished for it. The re-
cent decisions of the courts. the large
fines imposed in cases of conviction. the
threatened proceedings in every section
of the country, all demonstrate that the
law is and long has been adequate to
stop offenses against the public,
The decisions of the United States
courts, both civil and criminal during |
the past year are appealed to as decisive |
OF the question as to whether Secretary |
Taft or myself is right"