The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-03-25

the famous Sixth judicial circuit in
Guiding Michigan. Ohio. Kentucky and
tennessee. For eight years he was
presiding Judge, and with Judges Day
and Lurton made that court measured
by the nigh respect paid its judgments
by the legal profession of the nation.
the greatest subordinate court in the
country. An example of his quality as
judge was afforded by the Phelan
case during the railroad strike of 1885,
Phelan was enjOined from trying to
tie up the Southern road which was
being run by receiver appointed by
the court
Judge Taft Threatened.
He was arrested, and brought before
Judge Taft. charged with contempt of
court. Threats were made that he
would never leave the court room alive
it he decided Phelan guilty He SEN
fenced the man to six months IN Jail.
1t was admitted. even by the strikers
themselves, that Phelan had a fair
trial. Phelan owned as mnch vhen he
was released. calling upon Judge TAFT
and telling him that his offense de-
served the punishment he got Touched
by the Woeful state of the strikers
families, as told him by Pheian. the
Judge asked the receiver of the South
ern to abolish the black list, and the
strikers We're given their iohs back as
Nacancies offered. 1T was in this court
that Judge Taft handed down his
famous labor decisions, which were not
long ago analyzed in the Review OF
Reviews by Frederick n. hudson. at
tcrney for the railroad brotherhoods in
the Wabash case.
Vindication for Lator
Mr. Judson wrote
"There is no foundation. therefore
for the suggestion that the decisions
of Judge Taft were in anv sense UNI
friendly to labor, and it is clear that
through his lucid declarat tons of the
lights Of labor the railroad brother
hoods secured the judicial vindication
Of their right of combination and Of
representation in their demands for
the betterment of their conditions"
Trusts We're dealt with by Judge Taft
as impartialy and fearlessly as other
interests, as witness his condemnation
of the Addystone iron pipe trust as
conspiracy in restraint of interstate
commerce.
Mckinley Turns to Taft.
1t was to Judge Taft that President
Mckinley appealed when borne down
by the perplexities of the Philippine
problem. I'VE must build new ma
ton out there" said the president, Il
want you to help us" Judge Taft was
reluctant to quit the bench to head the
first Philippine commission, but he
consented, purely from a sense OF duty.
Il am sending Taft to the Philippines
because he is the broadest and the
most unselfshly brave man 1 know
and because he will carry the spirit OF
the Constitution of the United States
in his very blood said the president
in announcing the appointment.
No man was ever beset by more
vexations. brain wearing questions. or
greater multiplicity of them in all
ramifcations of diversification. than
was Mr.. Taft in the Philippines. The
Philippines for the Filipinos' was the
motto which he adopted in the out
set and to which he unswervingly has
held.
Won Confidence of Filipinos.
He won the trust and confidence OF
the Filipinos, and has retained it.
Slowly but steadily, he shaped the in
determinate and tottering destinies OF
the islands and their people until the
fruition of part of his plans came in
November last with the converting of
the first Philippine assembly, COM
posed of natives elected by the free
ballot of the people. He pledged his
confidence in the F'ilipinos that they
would not abuse the right of suffrage,
and cast it in the balance against the
doubts and mistrust of consequences
held by not a few of his associates.
Thus far the official conduct of the as
sembly has been a splendid vindication
- UvaFt ;,rIer oh
acteristic of the men that he should
adhere to long ago promise passed
to the Filipinos, and journey to Ma
Mia to open the assembly He kept
his word, although absence from the
United States at that time was adj
nittedly perilous to his chances Of be-
ing nominated for the presidency.
1--WE promised, and I'm going, said
Mr.. Taft, throwing all else to The
winds.
Taft Again to the Rescue.
1t was Mr. Taft whom the president
dispatched to the rescue of the Cuban
republic in 1906, when the islands po-
Iitical destinieS were threatened by
revolution For a time he was provi-
sional governor. Responsibility for the
Panama canal also has been placed
upon him. None OF the vital and COM
plicated affairs of the war department.
have been neglected or mismanaged
because of the enormity of the scope OF
Mr. Taft's powers and official activities.
Every branch of his department and
Of the army has been bettered and
rendered more effective by him.
Mr. Taft, returning from Manila in
December, completed notable journey
around the world. In Japan he was
received by the emperor. and delivered
his famous speech, which effectually
quelled the rumors Of impending war
between this country and Japan. An
other deliverance of international i'm
portance was uttered in Shanghai,
when he reaffirmed our intention to
maintain at all hazards the omen door