The San Francisco call., 1906-07-10

IN North Carolina and the SOutn par
ticularly. and referred to the achieve
ments of the Republican party in the
session of Congress just closed. The
opera-house was packed to overflow
ing by throng eager to hear the Sec
retary of War, and many were turned
away because of the limited size of
| the hall.
sECRETARY's ADDRESS.
| Turning to the issues involved In the
coming Congressional campaign Secre-
tary Taft pointed out that in Novem-
Der, 1904, the Republican party was
continued in power. Theodore Roose-
Welt, he said. bad at that time for more
than three years discharged the duties
of President. The Secretary continued:
| During that period Mr.. Roosevelt had
| again and again. by word and act, man
ifested to the people his determination
| to pursue the middle, just and impair
| tial course by which the rich and poor
! should enjoy equal protection and suf-
! fer the equal and just enforcement Of
the laws. He recognized this as the
platform of the Republican party. He
incurred the hostility of important
/ financial interests by his action in di-
| recttng the prosecution to successful
| issue of the so-called Northern Securf-
| ties case which prevented Il merger for
the purpose of suppresSing competition
OF two great lines of railway in viola
| tion OF the antitrust laws.
The Secretary then said the Republi-
can platform and Mr.. Roosevelt pledged
the enforcement of the antitrust law
and the interstate commerce law to
prevent discrimination against the
| shipping public and to prevent oppres-
| sive combination and monopoly.
Continuing he said that only a year
and four months had elapsed since
Mr. Roosevelt took the oath of office
after his election in 1904, and yet in
| that short part of his term OF Office
the Republican party in Congress, in
spired by Mr.. Roosevelt's recommenda-
tions, had adopted railroad rate bill
which, greatly increased the power of
the Interstate Commerce Commission
and which would have much to do in
the abolition of violations of the law.
He added: sE
The Investigations blythe Department
of Commerce and Labor have shown the
method by which the Standard Oil Com
! pany has maintained its monopoly OF
| the oil business and prosecutions nave
been ordered in many of the Federal
courts of the country in order not only
to vindicate the law for past viola
! tions, but to bring about condition of
/ things in which the managers of pros
porous and successful corporations OF
the country shall pay heed to injunc-
/ tions of the statutes and not allow
temptations of immense profits to blind
them to the necessity OF obedience 10
/ law.
The Secretary said that the organi-
cation of capital had reduced the cost
tributed to the material prosperity Of
the world. and that the organization Of
labor had undoubtedly bettered the
condition and raised the wages OF
labor, but he said it would be unrea-
sonable to suppose that in the power
which organization had placed in the
hands of individuals there would be no
temptation to oppression and abuse
| but when these were yielded to by the
few as compared with the many it was
no reason for hysteria or the destruc-
| tion of the whole social order. He
continued:
The Republican party and President
! Roosevelt are In favor of the just and
equal operation of the law, whether 1t
| be by civil suit, by the process of in
| junction or equity or by indictment al
| the bar OF the criminal court against
the man who violates another's right
whether he be rich or poor, corpor-
alton president, or a wage Garner. They
for violation of law either on the
ground that a man has money or indus
| trial or political power. or on the
! ground that he has neither.
The record OF the Republican party
shows that the only substantial steps,
which have really been taken to stop
the Irresponsible holders OF great
wealth and corporate power have been
by the Republican party and there is
no more brilliant or successful expo
nent of this policy than Theodore
! Roosevelt. His declarations made be-
/ fore the election are being enforced
and being put into practice after the
ask you to compare Democratic
progress with Republican performances.
Incidentally ponder how much would
elected and acted on his theory that
! the common law supplied all that was
necessary. for the suppression OF trusts
and the abolition of rebates. 1t may be
noted also that while Mr.. Bryan has
been most emphatic and eloquent in his
| description and denunciation OF trusts
his suggested remedies for their prompt
| suppression have been very vague TN
less, indeed. his proposal that the Gov
! railways with their immense mileage
and maintain and operate them is TO be
regarded as an Immediate practical and
| feasible remedy.
TRUSTS PREFER BRYAN.
In view of this it Is not a matter
for surprise that great combinations,
| that have increased their profits and
power by evil and oppressive methods,
should fear and dislike Mr.. Roosevelt
and his acts in the present much more
mite dangers with which he threatens
them in the future. Evils are to ne
measures-not by oratory or denuncia-
tion.
The record of the present Congress
! confirms in the most convincing way
the claim always made for the Republi-
can party, that it is an efficient party
for the accomplishment Of good, that
it does things and that 1t carries out
i its promises.
Criticism that has been made is that
the laws passed have greatly extended
the national power and have permitted
i the Capitalization of Government al
! Washington. In sense this is true
1t is not true that the expansion OF
j power is unconstitutional. but 1t is
only true that the National Govern
ment has taken upon itself the exer-
else of greater power, heretofore unit,
ed but all within the constitutional
grant in order TO curb certain evils
! which were so widely extended across
i state lines as to make 1t impossible FOR
the State to suppress them
j No party has ever taken more de-
cisive steps to restrain the abuses OF
irresponsible corporate wealth and
! power than the Republican party.
The champion Of this REFORM. the
i man who not by words, but by deeds
| as President of the United States, has
shown his adherence to the principles
of equal protection and laws to all and
his courage in resisting all claims OF
special immunity whether for organ
! tied labor or capital, to be rebuked ano