Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-11
BAY STATE REPUBLICANS.
CONTINUED From Page One.)

to the very root of the government. This
question is whether this is a state Of law
and whether the constitution is to be re-
spectcd or not. We have the constitution
and it is clear that there are many ques-
tions which admit of honest debates.
'.rhere are many matters which come
before the Legislature where there are
two sides to the question. But there is
not a man in this state who can read the
constitution, which explicitly forbids
gambling, who does not know that 1t Is
the duty of the Legislature to abolish the
privileges of the Percy Gray law. There
has been pretense at debate on the
question, but no real debate. Pool selling
and Bookmaking is prohibited by the
constitution. Bookmaking and pool SELL
ing actually furnishes no pretense to act
ual business and this is flourishing be-
cause there is no adequate law to pre-
vent its iiourishing."
Louisville, Ky, April 10.-Secretary
of War VIM. H. Taft tonight ended a
busy five hours in Louisville with a
speech at the Hopkins theater. He held
a public reception this afternoon at the
Gait house and after dinner at the
residence Of Marshall Bullitt addressed
an overflow meeting in front of the
theater. Entering the theater for his
principal address. Mr.. Taft was nois-
lily welcomed. In Opening his address.
he referred to his service as judge of
the United States circuit court, hav-
ing jurisdiction over Kentucky, and re-
lated personal memories of Louisville
leaders in the legal profession.
Eve have before u.s. said the secre-
tary, "a campaign presenting many
serious issues. Some others are not so
important but are kept alive by the
gentleman, who, I presume. will head
the Democratic column. Mr.. Bryan,
presume, speaks for the Democratic
party"
At this mention of Mr.. Bryan's
name, there was scattering but vigor-
Gus applause. Secretary Taft smil-
irgly said:
II am glad to note that there ap-
pears to be number of Democrats
disguised as followers of Mr.. Bryan in
the house. I hope they will stay and
hear 4 little sound doctrine"
Amid laughter and cheers, the secre-
tary then launched into a discussion of
the policies of the Mckinley and the
Roosevelt administrations as given in
| his Omaha speech recently
Mr.. Taft painted a picture Of in
crea sing prosperity and educational
advancement by the Filipinos under
American rule and closed with an eX-
| preston of his conviction as strong as
| his hope that when the Filipinos were
| able to walk alone Congress would
grant them self government. He char
acteiiZed the policy of the United
| States towards Cuba and Porto Rico as
the most altruistic ever attempted
much less carried into effect by a gov
eminent.
Turning from the colonies to the
need they emphasized for an ample
navy, the secretary said:
1.-The complaisant ones and the tim
i'd ones shrink from large navy, with
the cry, 1T will provoke a war We
need a navy to prevent war. Even
the Democrats are firm adherents of a
principle that alone renders the main
tenance of a complete navy impera-
tive. And the principle is the Monroe
doctrine which is just as strong as ON
navy and army and no stronger" - q
! Turning to the tariff, Secretary Taft
recounted the history of the Wilson
and the Dingley bills. The former he
| characterized as mongrel. Under the
latter he said, we enjoyed a propriety
unequalled in history. But Of late, he
continued there had come to pass a
period Of industrial depression, result
ing from economic cause. 1t had be-
come apparent, therefore, that some OF
the schedules were not high enough
and others were too high and that
the tariff should be revised
1t has been suggested by some that
revision should be undertaken by a
special session of Congress Immediately
following the November election, 9TH
ers favored the undertaking of that
task after the Inauguration of the next
| President. Both these suggestions
were of weight, and one or the other
should be followed. The main thing
however, was that the tariff should be
revised as soon as possible and ac-
cording to protective principles.
"Mr. Bryan" said the secretary
asks me what should be done with
the great combinations of capital He
would destroy trusts, root and branch
I do not know how he would carry
out this policy unless he means that
he would destroy the plants that
create our prosperity. l do not believe
either in government ownership but
l believe in making corporations obey
the law" +.+
Secretary Taft attacked Bryans
plan for national Incorporation of con-
Germs engaged in interstate trade, de-
claring 1t would impose an intolerable
burden on the multitude of small con-
Germs doing business over state lines
There were many negroes in the au-
dience. Calculating the 18th Amend
ment, which he asserted did not thrust
the franchise on negroes but forbade
that the state discriminate against
him in favor of the white man in the
enactment of the election laws, Sec
Taft said:
Il am confident that there is a grow
ing feeling of sympathy throughout
the South for the negro and growing
recognition of the unwisdom and In
justice of the discriminating laws of
the grandfather clause" Once en-