The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1907-07-09
TAFT ON CORRUPTION
REMARKS OF THE SECRETARY TO
THE PEOPLE OF THE WEST
Backs Up His Akron Speech With
More Detall--PolitleaI Machine
Handmade Of Corruption.

Handmade Of Corruption.
Columbus, July 7.--Taft on bossisn
was an issue in the Ohio campaign o
1906.
| There were come then who sur
missed the war secretary had spoker
from mere impulse in his noted
Akron speech, but that impression
was removed when II became known
later that after carefully preparing
the speech he had replied TO the crit.
iclsm OF n friend: IL vii say that oil
] will say nothing"
Taft is not bit more disposed TO
ignore or condone bossism now than
he was two years ago. He made di-
rect reference to 1t In speeches on
his western trip. The press reports
OF what he said that filtered eastward
were mostly mere summaries, and so
IL happened that much OF what he told
the people of the west gained no au-
dlence in the rest Of the country.
What he said on municipal bossism
is OF immediate interest TO city
dwellers and villagers In Ohio who
are on the threshold Of their muni-
cipal campaigns.
To the people of the west, Secretary
Taft said:
LESS CORRUPTION NOW.
During the last thirty years there
has, been marked improvement in
the efficiency and freedom from cor
ruption OF the national government,
executive and legislative. and this i'm
provement has been manifested also
In many OF the state governments,
though they have not been subjected
10 the same wide scrutiny which re-
sponsibllity to the representatives OF
all the country involves.
Perhaps this Is less true with refer
ence TO the state legislatures than In
regard TO any part OF the state gov
ernments, because they have on the
one hand been frequently made the
instrument for blackmailing the cor
porations for the enrichment OF some
OF their members. and ON the other
hand have been made the instrument
tality OF procuring unjust and dis
eliminating privileges and franchises
for corporations, leading 10 the de-
bauching OF the members OF the legis-
lature and 10 the defraudlng OF the
public.
so, too, In our municipal govern
ments, we find an additional sacrifc-
ing of the public veal through ,or-
rupt motives for the benefit OF private
and corporate interests and the neces-
sary concomitant OF such corruption
or instrument with which II is well
carried on is the political organiza-
tion or machine headed oy a boss by
which the corporation on the one
hand secures its privileges. and on
the other hand is blackmailed into
paying money 10 protect them.
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
FAILURE.
Thus far municipal government in
this country has not been a success;
and one OF the duties, one OF the bur.
dens Of the generation now coming
on TO assume the responsibilities OF
Is the cleansing OF the
Augean stables of municipal corrup-
lion and the uplifting OF the tone OF
state legislators, so that while the in
erests OF the public shall be sacredly
preserved. the rights and the reason
able profits OF the corporations enjoy |
ng public franchises shall be care !
uliy and impartially protected and
In many parts OF the country the
movement for better municipal eoy-1
'rnment is'manifest. The present |
OF the public In respect
o the granting OF corporate fran
'hises In the streets Is heaIlny sign
u the awakening Of the public con-
cience upon this subject.
"The disposition 70 resent control
" the political machine, which is the
'andmaid OF corporate corruptionl is
mother evidence Of the sharpening
Z public perception; and while the
will be long and hard:
'hiie those who have maintained no.
ltical power by the use and mnnipu-
alton OF political Offices are diflcult
0 overcome, a beginning has been
aade, and look forward with con-
dence to the next thirty years as a
eriod within which, most substantial
nogress shah have been nadc toward
'unicipai government OF which we can