Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1907-09-05
BRYAN REPLIES
TO SECY. TAFT
NEsRAskAN COMPLAINS OF BE.
ING MIsREPREsENTEp BY
WAR SECRETARY.
WORD "STRADDLER" is USED
Democratic Leader Says the coIun.
bus Speech VIII DIssppoInt Those
Expecting 5UsIs Note In
Favor Of Reform.

Lincoln. Neb.-wIlIiam J. Bryan's
reply to the speech OF Secretary Taft
at Columbus. o.. is given out. Sec.
retary TAFT Is condemned as a "strad.
der on nearly all the important is.
sues, and criticized for not taking nd.
vanced ground in reform. Mr.. BRYAN
complains also that his own position
mas been misrepresented by the secre-
tary. Mr.. Bryan says:
Secretary Taft's speech win prova
disappointment TO those who expect.
ed a clear bugle note in favor OF re.
FORM. There is not a single question
on which he takes a strong. advanced
position. On the railroad question he
Is In favor Of preventing watered
STOCK, opposes the consolidation OF
competing lines and the duplication of
directorates. So far so good; but he
does not advocate the ascertainipg OF
the value of the roads or the redue.
ton OF rates. He even defends the
president from the charge OF fayorinR
the reductions made by the states.
The railroads may object to his rhet.
orical denunciation OF abuses, but they
will hardly be scared by his remedies.
On the trust question he thunders al
unlawful trusts, but not only does not
recommend new legislation. but takes
The position that a monopoly may not
be harmful. He seems to lean to-
ward the idea that It must be con.
victed OF some harmful act-and this
throws the burden OF proof upon the
government. He recognizes that re
straint Is more difficult when one
corporation swallows up a lot of 9th. |
er corporations; that II involves
enormous labor on the part OF the |
government to prosecute such a com. |
bination because the proof of the gist
OF the offense lies underneath an al. |
most limltless variety of transactions.
and yet he is opposed to the license
system which would enable the gov.
eminent TO absolutely prevent a
monopoly. In other words, he gives
the benefit OF the doubt to the cor.
poration instead OF to the people. He
thinks that putting one or two trust
magnates in the penitentlary would
have healthy effect, but he used so
many qualifying words that one Is left
In doubt as to what he really favors.
After submitting an argument IE
support OF an Inheritance tax and a
income tax. he concludes by
saying that he is not In favor Of
adopting either OF them now. At some
uture time he may adopt them II
hey are needed.
He comes out strong in favor of
government by Injunction. but does
lot take any position on arbitration
md election OF senators by the people
He takes rap at socialism, de.
Iounces the initiative and referendum
md presents an argument against
government ownership OF railroads.
lie Is stronger IN stating what he !
pposes than in stating what he IA
ors and he--unintentionaliy. OF ,
Mr.. Bryan's posi- ,
lon on several questions.
He makes out a strong case In Ia. ,
or of tariff reform, but when he
cts to the remedy he goes no farther
eNe N1N HNFARAANaA NNhANAe nave gone
A former campaigns. He wants
nough tarin TO cover the difference
! cost OF labor here and abroad-the
xcuse fgiven for the present tariff
and he wants the tariff reformed by
s friends. Tariff reform by the
lends of the tariff Is farce and b
aud and the secretary runs away I
ON the conclusions which would q
aturally be drawn from the sta. C
sites which he presents. q
The conservatives may object TO o
q speech because It admits many
smoeratic contentious, but no real re- p
rmer will find encouragement In Il. Il
is a straddle of the most important c
sues--a compromise instead OF fight a
T reform" II