The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-07-12
JUDGE PARKER
CALLS TAFT
Ex- Presidential Candidate at
Issue With Secretary.
MANY ERRORS IN SPEECH
Recent Prosecution Of Trusts Not
Result of New LawS-Old
Statutes Sufficient.

NEW YORK. July II Former Judge
Alton b. Parker IN statement made
public takes issue with some Of the
utterances Of Secretary Of War Taft
IN the speech delivered at Greensboro.
y. c.. by Mr. Taft last Monday.
Judge Parker declares that the secre-
tary In his speech sought to have the
public draw the Inference that the re
cent prosecution of alleged Illegal com
bmntlons are due TO new statutes. TO
this Judge Parker takes exception, and
to support his contention he quotes
from his letter OF acceptance and n
speech subsequently delivered during
the last presidential campaign. In both
the speech and the letter Judge Parker
Is quoted as saying that the laws then
on the statute book were entirely ade-
quatc Il enforced
Judge Parker In his statement says
The inference that Secretary Taft
would have the public draw from his
utterances is that these things are due
To new statutes. that the yindlcation
which the law is now receiving is due
to congressional action since 1904. But
that Is not So.
Not one of the successful prosecu-
tionS for which the existing admins
tration is now entitled 10 credit Is
based on any new statute. Every sin
gle one Of them down to this date rests
solely upon the law as II stood In 1904.
and 1t should not be lost sight Of by a
discriminating public that the law
could have been enforced In 1904 and
in 1908 and IN 1902 just as well as to-
day. Had Il been the wrongs from
which the people have suffered would
not have so multiplied.
Secretary TNft's speech" says Judge
Parker's statement. was interesting
throughout. but il cannot be said that
ii was accurate throughout. shall
only refer 10 the statement in which he
alluded TO the position taken 10y me In
the campaign OF 1904. In substance and
effect that We have law enough to stop
every corporate abuse. that all that Is
lacking is an administration disposed
to enforce the law.
II said in the letter of acceptance I'M
der the title of Trust Remedies
81 pointed out in my earlier re-
Spouse the remedy which. in my judg-
mcnt. can effectually be applied against
mOnOpolleS. and the assurance was
then given that If existing laws, in
Guiding both statute and common law,
proved inadequate, contrary to my ex-
pectations, favor such further legisla-
ton. with constitutional limitations, as
will best promote and safeguard the
interests Of all the people.
81 emphasized the same thought on
other occasions in public speech. | re-
iterated it in Il speech on Jef'erson's
day. 1908. In which said
1.-The plain truth is that there has
been no time during the past eight
years, since the abuses alleged became
hagrant. when they could not have
been eliminated Nothing has been so
much needed as rigid, honest, I'M
yielding enforcement of the law as it
stood. both civil and criminal. But in
stead Of going ON with the enforcement
Of the law against rebates by putting
the railroad officials responsible for
Olem behind prison bars precisely AS
we do other malefactors their mscon-
duct Is made an excuse for further con
centration of power in the federal gov
ernment.
THE administration has now dscov-
cred not only that there Is enforceable
law against the giving Of rebates and
aw adequate to check illegal combina-
lions, but that the persons engaged in
It's violation can be punished for It,
The recent decisions of the courts. the
large fines imposed in cases of convic-
ton. the threatened proceedings in ev-
cry section Of the country all demon
strate that the law Is and long has
been adequate to stop oifenses against
the public"