Bisbee daily review., 1908-08-13

lore the election; and the reduction
promised after the election is sc
hedged about with qualifying phrases
that no one can estimate with accuracy
the sum total OF tariff reform to be
expected in case of republican sue
cess. If the past car be taken as 9
guide, the republican party will be sc
obligated by campaign contributions
from the beneficiaries of protection
as TO make that patry powerless tc
! bring TO the country any material re
lief from the present tariff burdens.
Why No Antitrust legislation
| A few years ago the republican
leaders 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 legis
lation upon this subject.
Why No Railroad Legisiation7
For ten years the interstate com
merce commission has been asking
for an enlargement of its powers, that
1t might prevent rebates and discrim.
nations, but a republican senate and
republican house Of representatives
were unmoved by its entreaties. Ia
1900 the republican national conven-
ito was urged to endorse the demand
for railway legislation but its platform
was silent on the subject. Even in
1904 the convention gave no pledge TO
remedy these abuses. When the pres
ident finally asked for legislation, he
drew his inspiration from three dem
lnSF "a Ssc-
ceived more cordial support from the
democrats than the republicans. The
republicans in the senate deliberately
defeated several amendments offered
by Senator LaFollette and supported
by the demoerS ts-ame ndments en-
bodying legislation asked by the inter
state commerce commission. One of
these amendments authorized the as
certainment of the value of railroads.
This amendment was not only defeat
ed by the senate, but 1t was over
whelmingly rejected by the recent re-
publican national convention, and the
republican candidate has sought to-
rescue his party from the disastrous
result of this act by expressing him
self. in a qualified way, in favor of as
certaining the value of the railroads
overIssue of Stocks and Bonds.
Mr.. Taft complains of the oyer-issue
of stocks and bonds of railroads, For
the unlawful enriching of directors and
for the purpose of concentrating the
control of the railroads under one
and the complaint is
well founded. But, with a president
to point out the evil, and a republican
congress to correct it, we find nothing |
done for the protection of the public. |
Why? My honorable opponent has, |
by his confession. relieved me of the /
necessity of furnishing proof; he ad-
mits the condition and he cannot avoid |
the logical conclusion that must be
drawn from tle admission. There is |
no doubt whatever that a large ma
iority of the voters of the republican !
party recognize the deplorable situa-
ton which Mr.. Taft describes: they /
that the masses have but /
little influence upon legislation or up |
on the administration of the govern |
ment, and they are beginning to un-
derstand the cause. For a generation,
the republican party has drawn cam
paign funds from the beneficiaries of |
special legislation. Privileges have
been pledged and granted in return for
money contributed to debauch elec-
tons. WHAT can be expected when
official authority is turned over to the
of those who first fur
nished the sinews of war and then re-
mbursed themselves out of the pock-
cts of the taxpayers?
Fasting in Wilderness Necessary.
So long as the republican party re-
mains in power, it is powerless to re-
generate itself 1t cannot attach
in high places without |
many of its prominent |
and it, therefore. uses OPT
ates instead of the surgeons knife.
Us malefactors cOnstrue each republi-
IAN victory as an edorsement of their
conduct and threaten the party with /
iefeat if they are interfered With. Not
Until that party passes through a per
cd of fasting in the wilderness, will
he republican leaders learn to study
public questions from the standpoint
If the masses. Just as with individ-
Ials, the cares Of this world and the
ieceitfulness of riches choke the
ruth" so in politics, when party
eaders serve far away from home
srd are not in constant contact with
he voters, continued party success
blinds their eyes to the needs of the
people and makes them deaf to the
Try of distress.
as to Campaign contribu-
tons.
An effort has been made to secure
egislation requiring publicity as toI
contributions aud expendi-
ures; but the republican leaders ev-
N in the face of an indignant public,
refused to consent to a law which
would compel honesty in elections
When the matter was brought up in
he recent republican national con
ion, the plank was repudiated by a
vote of $50 to a. Here, too. Mr..
Taft has been driven to apologize for
his convention and TO declare himself
n favor of publicity law; and YET,
( you win read what he says upon
his subject, you will find that his
promise falls far short of the require |!
nents Of the situation. He says:
IF I am elected president, / shall
Irge upon congress. with every hope
1f success, that law be passed re-
Iuiring the fling, in a federal Office
1f statement of the contributions
by committees and candh
iates in elections for members of con
yress and in such elections as are ;
within the control oil
congress"
/ shall not embarrass him by ask
ng him upon what he bases his |
hope of success; IL is certainly not
IN any encouragement ne mas received /;
rom republican leaders. It is sufh-
.ient to say that If his hopes werel
-ealized-if. in spite Of the adversel
,ction of his convention, be should sue
;eed in securing the enactment of the
very law which he iavors. il would {