Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-08-14

public by stock,jobbinga ard he fiasip
ulation or securities. Certain wealthy
men OF this stamp. whose conduct
should. be abhorrent TO -eserf man OF
ordinarily decent conscience. aud whs
commit the hideous wrong OF teaching
our young men that phenomenal bust
ness. success must ordinarily be based
on dishonesty, have. during the last
few months made II apparent thai
they have banded together to work foi
Reaction. Their endeavor is tc
overthrow and discredit all who hon
estly administer the law, to prevent
any additional legislation which woulc
check and restrain them. and TO secure
IL possible. freedom from all re
straint which will permit every un.
scrupulous wrong -doer to do what he
wishes unchecked. provided he has
enough money."-What an arraignmeni
OF the predatory interests,
Is the presidents indictment true
And, If true against whom was the
Indictment directed? Not against tn.
Democratic party.
Mr.. Taft Endorses the Indictment.
Mr.. Taft says that these evils have
crept in during the last ten years. II,
declares that. during this time some
prominent and influential members
of the community, spurred by financial
success and i'm their hurry for greater
wealth. became unmindful of the com
mon rules of business honesty anc
fidelity, and of the limitations imposed
by law upon their actionsr' and thai
ssthe revelations of the~ breaches of
trusts. the disclosures as to rebates
and Determinations by railroads. the
accommodating evidence of the viola
tons OF the antitrust laws by mum
Der of corporations, and the over-issut
OF stocks and bonds of interstate rail
roads for the unlawful enriching of dt
rectors and for the purpose of concen,
trating the control OF the railroads un,
der one management."-al these, he
charges, "quickened the conscience OF
the people and brought on moral
awakening"
During all this time, beg to remind
you, Republican officials presided I'm the
executive department. filed the cab
met, dominated the senate, controlled
the house of representatives and occu-
pied most of the federal judgeships
Four years ago the Republican plat.
form boaStfully declared that since
lS60-with the exception OF two years
the Republican party had been In con.
troll of part or of all the branches of
the federal government; that, for two
years only was the Democratic party I'm
n position to either enact or repeal n
law. Having drawn the salaries: hay
ing enjoyed the honors; having secured
the prestige. let the Republican party
accept the responsibilities
Republican Party Responsible.
Why were these known abuses"
permitted to develop? WHY have they
not been corrected? II existing laws
are sufficient, why have they not been
enforced? All of the executive ma.
chinery of the federal government Is
in the hands of the Republican party.
Are new laws necessary? Why have
they not been enacted? With Il Re-
publican president TO recommend. with
Republican senate and house to carry
out his recommendations, why does the
Republican candidate plead for further
time in which TO do what should have
been done long ago? Can Mr. Taft
promise TO be more strenuous In the
prosecution OF wrong-doers than the
present executive? Can he ask for a
larger. majority in the senate than his
party now has? Does he need more
Republicans In the house OF represent.
atives or speaker with more unlim.
tied authority.
Why No Tariff Reform?
The presidents close friends have
been promising for several years that
he would attack the iniQuities OF the
tariff. We have had ntimation that
Mr.. Taft was FESTIVE under the de
mands OF the highly protected In.
dustries. And yet the influence OF the
manufacturers, who have for twenty
five years contributed TO the Republican
campaign fund, and who i'm return
have framed the tariff schedules. has
been sufficient to prevent tariff reform
AS the present campaign approached.
both the president and Mr.. Taft de.
clared In favor OF tariff revision, but
set the date of revision after the elec.
ton. But the pressure brought 10 bean
by the protected interests has been
great enough TO prevent any attempt al
tarin reform before the election; and
The reduction promised after the cleo
ton Is so hedged about with qualify.
Ing phrases, that no one can estimate
with accuracy the sum total OF tarif
reform TO be expected In case OF Re
publican success. If the past can be
taken as guide, the Republican party
VIII be so obligated by campaign con
tributions from the benefciaries of pro-
lection, as TO make that party power
less to bring to the country any ma
terial relief from the present tariff
burdens
Why No Antitrust Legislation?
A few years ago the Republican lead
ers In the house OF representatives
were coerced by public opinion into
the support Of an antitrust law which
had the endorsement of the president,
but the senate refused even to con-
slider the measure, and since that time
no effort has been made by the domi-
nant party to secure remedial legisla-
ton upon this subject.
Why No Railroad Lesislation7
For ten years the Interstate Com
merce Commission has been asking for
an enlargement Of its powers, that it
might prevent rebates and discrimina-
tions, but a Republican senate and
Republican house of representatives
We're unmoved by its entreaties. lin.
1000 the Republican national sc6nven-
ton was urged to endorse the demand