The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-08-12
reaching purpose Of our party, as that
purpose is set forth in the platform.
aheIl ~. D.anl. o,,l>S

Shall tho People Rule3
Our platform declares that the over
shadowing issue which manifests itsell
In all the questions now under discus.
sion, is "Shall the people ruler" Nc
matter which way we turn; no matter
to what subject we address ourselves;
the same question confronts us: Shall
the people control stheir own govern.
ment, and use that government for the
protection Of their rights and for the
promotion of their welfare? or shall
the representatives Of predatory wealth
prey upon a defenseless public, while
the offenders secure immunity from
subservient officials whom they raise
to power, by INSCRIPTIONS methods
This Is the issue raised by the "known
abuses" to which Mr.. Taft refers.
Presidents Indictment Against the
Party.
In a message sent to congress las,
January, President Roosevelt said
'"The attacks by these great corpora.
tons on the administrations actions
throughout the country, In the news
papers and otherwise, by those writer's
and speakers who, consciously or un
consciously, act as the representatives
of predatory wealth-of the wealth &C.
cumulated on giant scale by all forms
Of iniquity, ranging from the oppres
sion Of wage earners to unfair and un
wholesome methods of crushing out
competition, and to defrauding the
public by stock-jobbing and the manip
ulation Of securities Certain wealthy
men of this stamp, whose conduct
should be abhorrent to every man Of
ordinarily decent conscience, and who
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 it apparent that
they have banded together to work fol
a reaction. Their endeavor Is tt
overthrow and discredit all who hon
estly administer the law, to prevent
any additional legislation which would
check and restrain them, and to secure
If possible, a freedom from all re
straint which will permit every I'M
scrupulous wrong-doer to do what he
wishes unchecked, provided he has
enough money."-What an arraignment
Of the predatory interests!
: Is the presidents Indictment true
And, If true, against whom was the
Indictment directed? Not against the
Democratic party. T..
Mr.. Taft Endorses the Indictment.
Mr.. Taft says that these evils have
crept In during the last ten years. He
declares that, during this time, some
prominent and influential members
Of the community, spurred by financial
success and In their hurry for greater
wealth, became unmindful Of the com
mon rules Of business honesty and
fidelity, and Of the limitations imposed
by law upon their actionsv' and that
"the revelations Of the breaches Of
trusts, the disclosures as to rebates
and determinations by railroads, the
accommodating evidence Of the viola
lions Of the antitrust laws, by mum
Der Of corporations, and the over-issue
Of stocks and bonds Of interstate rail
roads for the unlawful enriching Of di
rectors and for the purpose Of concen
trating the control Of the railroads un
der one management,"-an these, he
charges, "quickened the conscience OF
the people and brought on a moral
awakening" ~
During all this time, I beg to remind
you, Republican officials presided in the
executive department, filed the cab.
met dominated the senate, controlled
the house Of representatives and occu-
pied most Of the federal iudgeships