New-York tribune., 1906-07-10

interstate commerce It is merely the adapta-
ton Of proper constitutional means to the neces-
stiles and evils presented by the immense de-
Velopment of interstate commerce, and the or
ganization of great corporations TO carry IL on.
II is evidence of the wonderful adaptability TO
new conditions not at all to be foreseen when
the Constitution was adopted, Of the provisions
changes in business and material development
that have taken place in the now nearly 10
years since its adoption The expansion OF TINS
power within legitimate and constitutional lines
can not and ought not to be avoided any more
than we should restrain or prevent the growth
of business enterprises beyond state lines or the
greater ease, rapidity and cheapneSs of COM
muncation between the different states and be-
tween this country and foreign countries which
have done so much to add to the comfort, we'll
being and intelligence of the American people.
The difficulty with the Democratic party and
the reason why the American people thus far
have manifested their distrust Of it is because
1t has no policy which the country can depend
upon. Its whole stock-tn-trade is that OF IRE
sponsible criticism and obstruction, but when
charged with the responsibility for doing any
thing it utterly fails. It is made UP Of ele-
ments so incongruouS that when called upon 70
take affirmative action it lacks the cohesive
ness necessary for the purpose. It is a party
of negation and ineficiency In the last forty
years it has made but one effort at constructive
craftsmanship. It attempted the passage OF q
bill to show the benefit of the principle, "a tariff
forming neither to free trade nor protective
principles, repudiated and spat upon by its own
party head and destructive to the business inter-
ests Of the country
HOUSECLEANING HAS TAKEN PLACE.
But it is said that there is a spirit of unrest
abroad, that the revelations concerning certain
great corporations and the failure on the part or
some of their managers to recognize their just
oblige tiOns, the mismanagement of certain rail-
roads, the discrimination in shipping rates which
have been made public and the existence OF mo-
nopolies which are beng prosecuted have raised
the people to a SenSitiVeneSs that is to bring
about change in the political control ana
secure a Democratic majority in the next House
of Representatives This may be true, but II
So then political revulsons have no logical basis
and reasona BILE predicate. and the American
people will not be governed in their polltica4
action by the common sense that has heretofore
controlled them. / sincerely hope 1t is true tnat
the public conscience has been quickened and
that great is to be taken in scrutinizing
the work of public and private servants Of the
many and in taking away the power OF unjust
combinations, whether political or business. but
why this should return Democratic majority
to the House of Representatives is beyond me.
Under the Republican government the country
has been able to enjoy a prosperity uneXamped
in the history of the world. Wages were never
steadier or higher. Profits of legitimate busl-
ness were never better more uniform. We
prestige was never more useful in securing peace
among the nations. Why, then. should the he-
publican party be deposed and the organized IN
capacity of the Democratic party be substituted?
In what way are the Republican party and MT
Roosevelt or the Republican members OF Con-
gress responsible for the abuses OF trust Whlch
have been shown in corporate management? In
what way can the Determinations by railway
companies against independent shippers and in
favor of large trust combinations be traced to
them? The truth is. that In the enormous pro-
duction OF wealth. in the heretofore unheard OF
prosperity, it inevitable that abuses should
creep in and that in the absence of publicity
some OF the men enjoying irresponsible power
should yield to the temptations OF cupidity and
ignore the sacred character Of the trust relation
But there has been housekeeping, and the Re-
publican party has e~erted every effort to destroy
any further opportunity for such abuses, and TO
No party in the whole history Of the country
has ever taken more decided steps to restrain
power than has the Republican party, both in
the executive and In the legislative branches OF
the government during the last eight years. No
party has ever shown greater independence of
corporate control and corporate influence than
the Republican majority in the House and Sen
ate and the Executive at the last session. ana
now, while this work is on, while the admins
tratiOn is straining every nerve to secure COM
pliance with the laws the statute books, to
regulate Interstate commerce and suppress
monopolieS and unlawful restraints upon inter-
state trade. it is prophesied that the champion
of this reform. the man who, not by words but
by deeds, President of the United States. has
shown his adherence to the principles of equal
protection of the laws to all and his courage in
resisting all claims of special immunity, whether
for organized labor or organized capital is to be
rebuked and thwarted in his high purposes by
the return to Congress of a majority of the Op-
position. Not while the American people admire
courage, consistency, high ideals and practical
common sense not while they believe in energy
honesty and Anaericanism. not while they take a
man for what he is and does. rather than for
what he says, Will this prophecy be justified
The Republican members Of Congress have
shown by their votes their adherence to the
principles announced in the Republican platform
and evidenced in the declarations and acts Of
the leader OF their party. After they shall have
rendered the account of their stewardship to
their constituents whom they have we'll and
conscientiously represented they will certainly
receive the reward Of a triumphant return.
The Secretary was warmly applauded through
out his speech. Mr. Taft left Greensboro to-
night on the 1851 train for Putin Bay Ohio
where he is to deliver address on July IL
before the Ohio Bar Association.