The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-06
All Honor to william Howard Taft.

All Honor TO william Howard Taft.
Mr.. Secretary TAFT has invaded the
State of Maine. ostensibly in the interest
OF Representative LITTLEFIELD, whose
political career il assailed by GoMPERs,
but in reality in the interests Of Mr..
ROOSEVELT and OF the whole Repub-
loan campaign. We publish elsewhere
this morning Mr.. TAFr's speech in full,
and we commend it to all u readers
As the frankest, the ablest and the most
manly and engaging deliverance that
has ever com from any member Of Mr..
RoosEvELT's Cabinet on any subject.
Mr.. TAFT avows boldly that Mr.. RoosE-
WELT himself is the issue Of the campaign.
it's only issue, its only possible issue;
and he explains why this is so in terms
OF exceeding lucidity nd conviction.
Mr.. TAFT has swept aside all local mat
tiers and all minor questions with a mas
ter hand. 1t is true that he deals with
Mr.. GoMPERs as to the particular feature
Of the canvass in Maine and deals with
him in a ann which will make that
worthy regret that he ever crossed the
P~tscataqua; but the great fact is that
Mr. TAFT has made the most mastery
and effective exposition Of the national
issue that it is possible TO make, and
that upon his formulation the Congress-
campaign will he~nceforward depend.
No class with special privileges, no ex-
symptom from the operation OF the fun
damental law for any person or persons,
no imperium in imperio in our form of
government: this is his answer to Mr..
GoMPERs and his American Federation.
Nothing could be more complete.
In other respects Mr.. TAFr's pro-
nounoement ia more like a Presidential
message than a contribution TO the
polemics Of a campaign. He sets forth
his views as. TO capital and labor with
admirable clearness, and in his exposi-
ton of the nature Of the trusts, their re-
htion to the body polite, and to the
sbuses of capital, and the imperative
Necessity, as he sees IL, of Federal regu-
laton, he leaves nothing to be desired.
We have been able to agree with
Mr.. TAFT's view that so much new legis-
lAtion Is needed to deal with the abuses
that exist and have for years existed.
We deprecate all sudden and precipitate
legislation Of any kind, just. a. we, dep |
recate the existing measure for rate
regulation, which, however m~eritorious
les intent, must, in our judgment, prove
unfortunate, mischievous and Intellectual
In its application. We hold and have
held that the common law, If resolutely
and ably enforced, Is entirely equal to the
situation; and the Secretary would be the
last to deny that the results achieved in
some Of the very instances he adduces
sufficiently support our opinion.
Il Ia true that in the present public
temper there is little patience with or
liberation OF the argument that existing
law is sufficient for the common need.
We recognize that condition Of the pub
lilo mind. but who created it?, We had
nothing to do with it, and it in no wise
disturbs our judgment any more than 1t
does that Of the judicial minded and well
balanced Secretary of War. All the
same, Il is incontrovertible that the pub
lie mind is too inhamed by a violent,
radical and distempered press to take
much account Of the soberer processes Of
the courts. Its temperament responds
TOO quickly to the spectacular in modo
and the ~perfortiteTr in re. This is de-
plorable; but 1t is an established condi-
ton just As violence, assassination and
impatience of all forms of law are an
established condition in Russia.
Equally deplorable is the truth that at
the very spring and origin of all this
storm and fury is the conduct OF the cor
porations themselves, The gross and
criminal dishonesty Of railroad manage
ment, in conspiracy with the manqfac-
and shipping interests to defraud
the public and to work the ruin Of COM
petitors, has p~recipitated the whole
and has Afforded a quasi-justi-
fication for the ruthlessness with which
they are nov pursued.
When we pause TO reflect a moment
upon what has happened in Russia, upon
the causes that have precipitated blood
and ruin in a whole nation, we can very
be thankful that we could apply
q needed remedy before the evilhad gone
too far. The criminal commerce. of the
governing oligarehy in Russia, the money
bond between Grand Dukes and rulers of
all degrees and the Spectator BEzoBRA-
1oFF for the felohious exploitation Of
he public domain: that alone was what
the war with Japan. The cor
and debasement of al admins
classes led 10 defeat. Defeat led
10 the awakening of the Russian people, |
and their awakening led to the fearful
disaster TO the nation which is now being
InfOlded day by day in all its unexampled {
Z
For the stability and honesty Of Mr.. I
intellectuals let US give heartfelt :
I
shOnts's Discovery In the Zone. {
It now appears that on the occasion I