Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-07-10
SECRETARY TAFT's SPEECH.

Secretary OF War Taft last night, be-
FIRE a meeting of North Carolina repub-
licans, in Greensboro, n. c., on the eve
1T their State convention, delivered a
speech that was generally anticipated aS
The opening gun of the congressional
campaign of 1906. The speech dealt
with current political questions, open
j. with advice to the rank and file of
The party in North Carolina and the
South particularly, and referred to the
achievements of the party in the session
Of Congress just closed The opera house
was packed to overlooking, and hundreds
of persons were turned away because OF
the limited size of the hall.
Mr.. Taft argued against any reason
for returning a democratic majority in
the next House, sayiUg in conclusion
that no party has ever taken more deci-
sive steps to restrain the abuses of ire
sponsible corporate wealth and power
than the republican party, and said that
while the administration is straining
every nerve to secure compliance with the
laws, 1.-THE champion of this reform, the
man who not by words, but by deed, as
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 oil claims of special
immunity, whether for organized labor
or capital, is TO be rebuked aud thwsrt-
ed by the return to Congress Of ma
jority OF the OPPOSITE IN. Not while the
American people admire courage, con-
sistency, high ideas and practical COM
mon sense; not while they believe in
energy, honeety aud Americsnism, no
while they take man for what he is snd
what be does, rather than for what he
says, will this prophecy be justified.
The speaker said that the changed
industrial conditions 10 the South and
the elimination Of the cry Of negro domi-
nation has made Mary land a republican
state. He repeated what other republi-
can speakers has said that the South
has been kept solid by the specler Of
negro domination. Although much
of the wealth OF the South is dependent
upon a protective tariff, its representa-
tiyes vote for the proposition that pro
tective tariff is robbery" Mr. Taft
said that President Roosevelt has done
much to abolish railroad rebating and
prosecute Standard Oil, while Mr.. Bryan
and the democrats were talking vague
theories The secretary thinks that it
is impossible to frame a constitutional
qualification for suffrage that will not
ultimately imparlially affect whites and
blacks He said: ono wonder that
the South docs not enjoy that prominence
10 high official circles that it is entitled
to by its intelligence, population and
importance in the country. Its people,
by reason of their political course and
their defererce to the democratic party
under all circumstances, are themselves
responsible for This condition.
Mr. Taft believes that ia it of vital i'm
portance both to the country at large
and to the South, if a political break
can be made in the still solid democratic
South, to bring it about Nothing"
said he, "would work greater advantage
to the country at large and to the South
in particular, than the breaking up of
what is known rs the solid South. As
long as the republican party 10 the
southern states shall represent little save
a factional chase for federal Office, We
may expect the present political con-
ditions to continue A policy in the
South which excludes from the ballot
both the black and white
when irresponsible cannot be criticised.