Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-08-22
TAFT ANSWERS BRYAN IN
SPEECH AT HOT SPRINGS.

a procedure allowing the speaker to
suppress the popular will. he said
that while he would not discuss the
wisdom of that procedure, it was suffi-
cient to say that the Senate had no
rule for the previous question and in
that body the ability of the minority
to defeat or delay legislation favored
by the majority has been made the
subject of criticism on the ground
that it defeated the will of the people
A Republican Congress he said could
be depended upon to carry on the prin-
ciples involved in this campaign.
He spoke of the Republicans and
Democrats in the South and declared
that a great number of Democrats are
opposed to the Democratic party I'M
der present leadership and none Of
them will be disappointed if the Demo-
cratic ticket is defeated.
Every one having the interest Of
the country at heart as an abstract
proposition, he said, would rejoice to
have the "Solid South" as Demo-
cratic asset in every national cam
paigr broken up.
The Republican party in its national
legislation, he said had favored the
building of the Panama canal, the
reclamation of swamp lands, the con-
servation of forests and water re-
sources and in taking many other
steps that are for the development of
the South. The growth and success
of the mining and iron industries in
the South, he declared are directly
due to laws enacted by the Repub-
llcan party. In making appointments
in the Philippines, Porto Rico and
Cuba, no attention had been paid to
the partisan procliVities of the ap-
pointees and there are in the Philip
pines as many Democrats among the
Americans as Republicans serving the
government there AS to the COM
plant that the leading men of the
South have but little influence in the
active branch of the government at
Washington, he said the only way
by which the South can cure this mat
ter Is by Independence of action and
the support of the Republican ticket.
He declared that many Independent
Democrats in the South agree with
the Republican party in all it's main
economic doctrines and reviewing the
industrial progress of the South, he
said its business prosperity in many
respects depended on Il reasonable
protective tariff more than any other
community in the country. He declar-
ed that if jefferson were to return
to life he would not recognize his re-
puted political descendants While
there Is a good deal of declaration in
the Denver platform against central
iZatIon of power, he said. the propo-
sitions contained in the Democratic
platform are even more federalistic
in their tendency than those in the
Republican platform.
He said it was the duty of Repub-
licans of the South to take advantage
of this mental attitude on part of
many many independent Democrats
which they can do by a thorough or
ganiZation of their party. They
should put good men to the front The
fight should be one of principle. He
knew the courage it has taken for
Southern Republicans to remain Re-
publicans when their cause seemed
hopeless but he believed the change
was coming. He congratulated the
Republicans of Virginia because with
IN that state so many Democrats were
hoping they would succeed.