Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-08-28

Columbus, Ohio, August 23.-Sec-
Rotary Taft, in an address before the
Buckley Republican club, spoke ex-
haustively upon the political and eco
nomic issues now before the American
people, giving special attention to the
questions that have arisen out OF the
legislative and judicial proceedings
having reference to corporations, es-
pecialIy the railroads.
Il do not wish to decry the merits
of the Elkins bill" said he, because,
aside from its elimination of i'm
prisonment as punishment, it is a
most useful measure, but its scope is
so narrow in respect Of the regulation
of railways that it cannot be COM
pared in Importance of operation and
effect to the rate bill. The increase by
the rate bill in the powers of the com.
mission in supervision, investigation,
ratefixing and effective order-making
to prevent discrimination is great.
Elaborate machinery for making it
difficult to violate the law without
discovery and for discovering viola
tions when they exist, and for afford
ing affirmative and mandatory relief
in requiring railroads to furnish equal
facilities to all, is found in the pro-
visions of the new rate bill Criminal
prosecutions will continue to be under
the Elkins law, but as amended by
the new rate bill.
IF the rate bill was likely to be a
failure and to accomplish nothing in
the regulation of their business, the
query naturally arises why did the
railroads spend so much money and
so great effort to defect it? Why was
1t, if it had no effect that in the inter-
val between the time of its passage
and its going into effect there were
filed with the interstate commerce
commission, more notices of reduced
rates by the railroads than ever had
been filed in the previous twenty
years of the life of the interstate com
merce law"
Mr.. Taft declared that it is well
understood that the Elkins bill was
passed without opposition by, and
with the full consent of, the railroads
and that the chief reason for this was
the elimination of the penitentiary
penalty for unjust Determinations.
The abolition of Imprisonment as
possible penalty was unfortu-
nate. Experience has shown that
mere fine is generally not
enough to deter corporation
from violation of the law because It
then becomes matter of mere bust
ness speculation. The Imprisonment
of two or three prominent officers of
a railway company. or a trust, en-
gagged in giving or receiving secret re-
bates, would hav a greater deterrent
effect for the future than millions in
q fine.
Antidote of Socialism.
Efficient regulation" said he, "is
the very antidote and preventive of
socialism and government ownership.
The railroads, until now, have been
permitted to WELD without any real
control the enormously important
franchise of furnishing transports ton
to the entire country. They have con-
structed 100000 miles of road. In GER
tain respects they have done a mar
velous work and have afforded trans
portation at a cheaper rate per ton
per mile and per passenger, than In
any country in the world. They have,
however, many of them, shamelessly
violated the trust obligation they
have been under to the public of fur
nfshing equal facilities at the same
price to all shippers. The watering of
stock and bonds and the over-capitali-
cation of some of them for the profit
of their railroads in construction and
equipment The tremendous demand
for increased facilities due to the
enormous growth of business shows
the inadequacy of their equipment and
construction.
AS to Tariff Revision.
Mr. Taft upheld the interstate COM
merce commission, objected to gov
eminent ownership favored a physical
valua ton of public service utilities.
discussed the aspects of the trust
question. the evils of swollen fort
unes and after a review of President
Roosevelt's policies endorsed them al
most in their entirety. He character
lied Mr. Bryan's governmental poll
cies as weak and nerveless and then
came to the question of tariff revision.
The republican principle of the pro-
Tective tariff is, as l understand it."
said the secretary, that through the
customs revenue law tariff should be
collected on all imported products that
compete with American products,
which will at least equal difference
IN the cost OF production in this coun.
try and abroad, and that proper allow
snce should be made ia this difference
for the reasonable profits of the Amer
ican manufacturer. II is the duty Of
the republican party, however. to sea
tn it that the tariff on imported arti-
cles does not exceed substantially the
reasonably permanent differential be-
tween the cost OF production in the
foreign countries and that in the Unit
81 States, and therefore when changes
take Mace in the conditions If produc.