The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-25
TAFT GIVES
 MUCH ADVICE Asks Rejectment of New
 Constitution, SPEAKS ONLY FOR HIMSELF Secretary Says He Does Not Repre-
 sent Roosevelt. In His Address to Republicans of Ok Iahoma, He Referred to the Hypocrisy of PolI- ticians.

Oklahoma City, August 24.-Secre- tarv of War William H. Taft In a speech here tonight in convention haii' advised the citizens of Oklahoma and Indian Territory to reject the const- tution recently adopted by the conven- ton at Guthrie. for the proposed new state of Oklahoma, and declared that the next session Of Congress would pass a new enabling act Secretary Taft explained with emphasis that ne was not here as the representative or President Roosevelt and that the views he expressed were entirely his own and In no sense should be considered as being inspired by the President. The warmth with which he spoke against the adoption of the constitution was a surprise to most of the party leaders present Secretary Taft discussed na- tional issues along the same line as In his Ohio speech.
 MT. Taft began by defining the is- sues of the Oklahoma and Indian Ter ritory State election as two fold: First, the acceptance or rejection of the con stitution and, second, the election of 6 Republican or Democratic State and legislative ticket and United States Senator's He explained his attitude as that of Republican putting himself in the place of a citizen of Oklahoma and advising the Republicans of Ckla- homa In respect to the wisdom or oth- erwise of adopting the constitution.
 He disclaimed entirely any authority to speak for the President on the sub ject of the validity or invalidity of the constitution, for the reason that the function which the President performed
 kr whnfh ha. "a proposed constitution conformed to the enabling act and the constitution or the United States.
 MT. Taft commented at length for maintaining the power of the courts and condemned the requirement that jury trial should intervene between an order of injunction and punishment for it's violation. He said that the writ of injunction was one of the most bene- feial writs that courth could have. and
 that it Is just aa snReful Tn defense oi the poor as in the defonse of the tleh and any wealxengng of It as an in- strument for remedxsng wreng%. would l operate in favor of the ricn malefactor l He spoke at length on the hypocrisy of the framers of the constitution fin purporting to make an instrument by which the will of the people should be sustained pure and undefiled and then by the merest political trickery
 and chicanery. adopting a plan by
 which there might be a majority Of 10000 for the Republican ticket in the state and yet there be Demo cratic Legislature and two Democratic senators. This itself shows what mockery an attempt by initiative and 1 referendum to ascertain the true will l of the people was and how empty the | declaration, "Let the people rule"
 The Secretary commented upon the l severe impairment of the system of ! education by limitation on taxation for educational purposes which in the In I dian Territory 1t was said by those
 who knew. would probably not afford more than two months education in a | year.