Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1908-08-06

Cincinnati. O.-Candidate William How
ard Taft, bearing the banners of the Re-
publican party as its choice for presi-
dent of the United States, struck cam
formally accepted the presidential nom
tnation and replied to Senator Warner.
This city was in gala attire and took
q holiday upon Taft's arrival in town.
Guns doomed, fireworks cracked every
where and in general the scene was that
Of welcoming home the conquering hero.
however, was the notification which took
place during lull in the activities of the
citizens. The occasion was an suspicious
one.
When Senator Warner had finished his
address, Mr.. Taft arose from his chair
at the speakers table and addressed the
assembled members of the notification
trusts. without expressing good corpora
tons He declared that the rates of the
railroads Of this country were reason,
theme and he proposed to restore con-
But the big feature Of the speech was
his declaration for Rooseveltian policies,
which he said he would follow out to the
letter the foundations having been laid
In them for rightful administration. He
took few shots at the Democratic plat
M s:n Pst S Rss.s as AZ. fe Gentlemen Of the
IT am. deeply sensible of the honor
which the Republican national sonven-
ton has conferred on me in the nomina-
ton which you formally tender i accept
It with full appreciation of the response
bility 1t imposes.
Strength In Roosevelt Policies.
Gentlemen, the strength of the Repub-
lican cause in the campaign at hand is in
the fact that we represent policies essen
continuance of liberty and true prosper
ity, and that we are determined, as our
platform unequivocally declares, to main
tain them and carry them on For more
through an epoch of material develop
ment far beyond any that ever occurred
IN the world before. r, In its course, Ger,
Influential members of the community
spurred by financial success and in their
hurry for greater wealth, became UNI
mindful of the common rules Of business
honesty and fidelity, and Of the limita-
tons imposed by. law upon their action
This became known. The revelations
of the breaches Of trust, the disclosures
as to rebates and discrimination by rail-
ways, the accommodating evidence of the
violation of the antitrust law by num-
stocks and bonds on interstate railways
for the unlawful enriching of directors
and for the purpose of concentrating con-
all quickened the conscience of the peo-
pie, and brought on a moral awakening
among them that BODIED well for the flu
ture of the country.
What Roosevelt Has Done.
1.-THE man who formulated the express
sion of the popular conscience and who
led the movement for practical reform
was Theodore Roosevelt. He laid down
the doctrine that the rich violators of the
law should be amenable to restrain and
punish as the offender without wealth,
and without influence, and he proceeded
by recommending legislation and direct
ing executive action to make that prin-
fr1n in M a
secured the passage of the so-called rate
bill, designed more effectively to restrain
excessive and fix reasonable rates, and
to punish secret rebates and discrimina-
tion which have been general in the prac-
tice of the railroads, and which had done
much to enable unlawful trusts to drive
out of business their competitors. 1t Sc
cured much closer observation Of rail-
way transactions and brought within
the operation of the same statute express
companies, sleeping car companies, fast
freight and refrigerator lines, terminal
railroads and pipe lines, and forbade in
future the combination of the transpor-
tation and shipping business under one
control, in order to avoid undue discrim-
ination.
president Roosevelt directed suits to be
brought and prosecutions to be instituted
under the antitrust law, to enforce it's
provisions against the most powerful of
the Industrial corporations He pressed
to passage the pure food law, and the
meat Inspection law. in the interest Of
the health of the public, clean business
methods and great ultimate benefit to the
trades themselves. He recommended the
passage of law, which the Republican
convention has since specifically ap-
proved, restricting the future issue Of
ways, to III as may be authorized by
federal authority.
Function of Next Administration.
'"The chief function of the next ad-
ministration in my Judgment is distinct
from and a progressive development
which has been performed by President
Roosevelt
',The chief function of the next admin
istration is to complete and perfect the
machinery by which these standards may
be maintained by which the law breakers
may be promptly restrained and pun
tshed, but which shall operate with suf-
with legitimate business as little as pos
sible. Such machinery is not now ade-
quate. Under the present rate bill, and
under all its amendments, the burden of
the interstate commerce commission in
supervising and regulating the operation
of the railroads of this country has
grown SO heavy that it is utterly impos-
elble for that tribunal to hear and dis
pose, in any reasonable time, of the many
complaints queries and issues that are
to be relieved of its jurisdiction as an
executive, directing body. and its func-
tons should be limited to the quasi-ju-
dicial investigation of complaints by in
dividuals, and by a department of the
government charged with the executive
business OF supervising the operation of
railways.
Constructive Work Detailed.
'"The field covered by the Industrial
combinations and by the railroads is so
very extensive that the interests of the
public and the interests of the businesses
concerned cannot be properly subserved
except by reorganizat ton of bureaus in
the department of commerce and labor
of agriculture, and the department of JUS
tice, and a'change in the jurisdiction of
the interstate commerce commission. 1t
does not assist matters to prescribe new
duties for the interstate commerce COM
mission which it is practically impossible
for II to perform, or to denounce new Of
lenses with drastic punishment unless
subordinate an auxiliary legislation
shall be passed, making possible the
quick enforcement in the great variety of
cases which are constantly arising, of
the principles laid down by Mr.. Roose-
welt, and with respect to which only typi-
cal instances of prosecution with the
present machinery are possible. Such
legislation should and would greatly
promote legitimate business by enabling
those anxious to obey the federal stat
utes to know just what are the bonds
of their lawful action. The practical con.
structive and difficult work, therefore, of
those who follow Mr.. Roosevelt, is to de-
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