The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-09-06

while their ownership rests with prf.
vate interests absurd and says that
public ownership will be the veritable
said to have amassed considerable
property since his famous march"
Taft Advises Oklahomans.
In addressing large gathering at
Oklahoma City Secretary Taft took
occasion to criticise severely several
clauses of the new state constitution
which will come before congress for
acceptance next winter. He COM
mented first on the initiative and re-
ferendum clause, which, he said, went
further than any referendum provision
tried or adopted in any state in the
Union, and thought that to introduce
such radical change was a doubtful
experiment. He also opposed the
clause forbidding the consolidation of
Roncompeting public service corpora
lions, stating that union and con-
solidation of railroads had done much
to facilitate railroad transportation the
country over. He likewise felt that
1t would be wrong to restrict the union
Of private corporations and plants
since combination of capital was just
as necessary as the combination of
labor. The best way, he said, to reach
the evils of combination of capital was
by antitrust laws and prosecutions.
For these reasons he averred that
If he were a citizen Of Oklahoma he
would vote for the rejection of the
constitution. The secretary entirely
disclafmed any authority to speak for
the president regarding the validity
of the constitution as adopted.
Bryan Answers Roosevelt.
w. j. Bryan in commenting on
President Roosevelt's address at Prov
incetown, in which he proposed the ma
tional incorporation of railroads and
other bodies engaged in interstate
commerce, said Here is the secret.
The states are annoying the corpora
lions, and the corporations are de-
handing federal protection from state
legislation. The president thinks that
action is most pressing as regards
those corporations which, because
they are common carriers, exercise a
quasi public function. The states have
been enacting two cent fare laws and
laws reducing freight rates, and the
railroad managers demand that they
shall be relieved from further fear
Of such legislation. The president
yields to the entreaties Of the rail-
roads. If 1t were the public he
sought to protect, he would recon-
mend federal remedies which would
not interfere with state remedies. But
it is the railroad, not the public, that
demands the removal of authority to
Washington. The Democrats can be
depended upon to oppose with all their
might this movement toward centrali-
cation. If any Democrat wavers, his
constituents should look into his bust
ness relations to see whether he Is
under obligations to the railroads. 1t
Is fortunate that the people have had
an object lesson so recently. The fed
eral law stopped rebates and passes,
but the railroads make more money
than they did before. The states, on
the other hand, gave the people a re-
duction in rates, and those who are re-
ceiving the benefit of these reductions
will be slow to surrender the advan-
tage thus far gained"
Later Mr.. Bryan In an interview at
Lincoln replied to Secretary Tafts Co
lumbus speech, which, he said, was a
to those who expected
"a clear bugle note In favor of re-
FORM" On the contrary, Bryan char
acterized Taft's speech as a ''strad
die" For instance, on the railroad
question he notes that Taft does not
advocate ascertaining the value of the
roads. Besides this, he says, Taft adj
vocates no new legislation as to trusts
and takes the position that monopoly
may not be harmful and would give
"the benefit of the doubt to the cor
porations instead Of the people" Bry-
an also makes much Of the fact that
Taft, while arguing in support of in
heritance and income taxes, concluded
by saying he Is not in favor of adopt
ing either of them now. Taft is
charged with coming out strong for
government by injunction while say
ing nothing about arbitration and d.
rect election Of senators. Finally, Bry-
an says conservatives may object to
Taft's speech because it admits many
democratic contentious, but thinks
that no real reformer will find encour-
n cement in IL
Governor Hughes Hopeful.
In an address before the Chautau-
qua assembly Governor Hughes %of
New York assumed position of the
utmost optimism regarding the ability
of the American people to work out
remedy for the political and industrial
ills which from time to time beset
them. He said he believed that the
moral standards of the American peo-
pie were never more sound than they
are today. Care In making laws and
firmness and impartiality in executing
them are the securities of our peace"
He expressed his profound belief In
the ability of the people to cure exist
ing evils without disturbing their pros