The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1907-08-30
BRYAN REPLIES
TO SECY. TAFT
NEBRAskAN COMPLAINS OF BE-
ING MIsREPRESENTE0 BY
WAR SECRETARY.
WORD "STRADDLER" IS USED
Democratic Leader Says the Column
bus Speech Will Disappoint Those
Expecting 5uge Note In
Favor Of Reform.

Lincoln. Neb.-William j. Bryan's
reply 10 the speech of Secretary Taft
at Columbus o.. is given out. Sec
rotary Taft is condemned as "strad.
dler" on nearly all the important is
sues. and criticized for not taking adj
vance3 ground in reform. Mr.. Bryan
complains also that his own position
has been mlsrepresented by the secre-
tary. Mr.. Bryan says:
Secretary Taft's speech win prove
a disappointment to those who expect
ed a clear bugle note in favor of re-
form, There is not a single question
on which he takes a strong, advanced
position. On the railroad question he
is in favor of preventing watered
stock, opposes the consolidation of
competing lines and the duplication of
directorates. So far so good. but he
does not advocate the ascertaining Of
the value of the roads or the reduc-
tion Of rates. lie even defends the
president from the charge OF favoring
the reductions made by the states.
The railroads may object TO his rhet-
orical denunciation of abuses, but they
will hardly be scared by his remedies.
Thunders at Unlawful Trusts.
On the trust question he thunders at
unlawful trusts, but not only does not
recommend new legislation, but takes
the position that monopoly may not
be harmful He seems to lean to-
ward the idea that il must be CON
victed OF some harmful act-and this
throws the burden OF proof upon the
government. He recognizes that re
straint is more difficult when one
corporation swallows up lot of 9th
er corporations; that it involves
enormous labor on the part of the
government to prosecute such com
bination because the proof of the gist
of the offense lies underneath an al
most imitless variety of transactions,
and yet he is opposed to the license
system which would enable the gov
eminent to absolutely prevent a
monopoly. In other words, he gives
the benefit of the doubt TO the cor
poration instead OF TO the people. He
thinks that putting one or two trust
magnates in the penitentiary would
have healthy effect. but he. used so
n my ual wing words that one is left
in doubt as to what he really favors.
After submitting an argument IT,
support of an inheritance tax and a
graduated income tax. he concludes by
saying that he is not in favor Of
adopting either OF them now. At some
future time he may adopt them IL
they are needed
Favors Government by Injunction.
"He comes out strong in favor of
government by injunction, but does
not take any position on arbitration
and election OF senators by the people.
"He takes a rap at socialism, de-
nounces the initiative and referendum
and presents an argument against
government ownership of railroads.
He is stronger in stating what he
opposes than in stating what he ia.
vors and he-unintentionally, of
course-misstates Mr.. Bryan's posi-
ton on several questions.
"He makes out strong case in IA
vor of tariff reform, but when he
gets to the remedy he goes no farther
than the republican leaders have gone
in former campaigns. He wants
enough tariff to cover the difference
in cost of labor here and abroad-the
excuse fgiven for the present tariff
land he wants the tariff reformed by
its friends Tariff reform by the
friends Of the tariff is a farce and a
fraud and the secretary runs away
from the conclusions which would
naturally be drawn from the sta
tistics which he piRsents.
The conservatives may object TO
his speech because it admits many
democratic contentious, but no real re-
former will find encouragement in Il.
1t Is a straddle of the most important
issues-a compromise instead of fight
for reform"