Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1907-08-21
OPENING GUN IS FIRED.
Taft Begins Campaign For the
Presidency At
BUCKEYE STATE CAPITAL.
Before an Immense Audienes Secretary
a War Presents HE Views Upon
Matters Of National lnserss, and His
Uttersnees Applasded,

Columbus. O.. Aug. 20.-At Memor.
iai hall. before an immense audience.
Secretary Taft made an address un.
der the auspices OF the Buckeye Re.
publican club. The city was elaborate
iy decorated In honor OF the visitor.
In his remarks Mr.. Taft touched light.
ly upon the quickening OF the public
conscience In n time OF apparent gen.
eral prosperity. abuses in railway dis.
elimination, failure (allegedl OF old
interestate commerce laws and the
causes therefor. the new rate bill rec
commended. said Mr.. Taft. by Theodore
Roosevelt. president OF the United
States and saying that outraged pub.
lie opinion carried the bill. praised
the restoration OF the jail penalty in
the measure
The Elkins measure was declared
10 be meritorious one. but said
statistics are lacking as 20 what Il
has accomplished
| lie opposes government ownership
'of railroad lines. as follows:
Ffrst-Because existing government
railways are not managed with either
the efficiency or economy OF privately
managed roads and the rates charged
are not as low and therefore not as
beneficial TO the public.
Second-Because n would involve
an expenditure OF certainly twelve bill.
lions OF dollars 10 acquire the inter.
state railways and the creation OF an
enormous Nationabl debt.
Third-Because II would place in
the hands OF reckless executive a
power Of control over business and
politics that the imagination can
hardly conceive. and would expose our
popular institutions to danger.
Secretary Taft made several refer.
ences 10 Hon W ]. Bryan. He favor.
ed placing convicted trust magnates
In the penitentiary. References 70
Mr. Bryan were cheered. interspersed
with occasloned laughter.
"Mr Bryan asks me what would
do with the trusts. | answer that |
would 70 strain unlawful trusts with
all the efficiency OF injunciive process
and would punish with all the severity
Of criminal prosecution every aiemp;
on the part OF aggregated capital
through the Illegal means ! have de.
scribed 10 suppress competition"
The secretary referred to other az
fairs. and later he said. regarding the
Brownsville order"
The attitude OF the president aud
fh.Y a.
for the action taken in respect 10 the
Twenty.fiith infantry were sufficient.
ly set forth in the communications by
the president and by me. sent to
congress with the evidence then taken.
Since that time. the senate committee
on military affairs has taken 5000
printed pages OF evidence on the same
matter. and the hearing Is not con.
cluded Until the hearing Is closed
and tho committee makes its report.
II would be premature for me. In view
Of my official relation to the matter.
10 express an opinion as 10 the effect
Of the senate evidence on the issue
which the president decided The
other topics must pass over for lack
OF time"
Mr.. Taft closed by paving this
glowing tribute 10 President Roose.
welt.
4 cannot close without comment on
the position of advantage for the com.
Ing national campaign which Presi.
dent Roosevelt. by the intense earn.
estness. vigor. courage and success
with which he had pressed the reforms
that rightly bear his name. has Sc
cured TO the Republican party. A
trimming. do-nothing. colorless policy
and corporate abuses would certainly
have driven the party from power.
however. little responsibility for them
could be justly charged 10 n. II YVES
not political advantage which the
president sought In these reforms. but
the real betterment OF conditions
which he has effected. Still the be-
lief OF the people in his sincerity.
his courage and his amazing quality
for doing things on their behalf has
won for him a hold on the American
public. at which even his bittercst
few IL any parallels In the political
history of this ouatry Fortunate
party with such leader"