The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-09-15
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.BRY AN MAKES
PROMPT REPLY
Answers Rooseyelt's Letter
Endorsing Taft.
.EULOGY NOT SUFFICIENT

Washington and See That Mr.. Taft
" Makes Good.
Baltimore, Sept. ia few plain,
simple sentences from Mr.. Taft will
be worth more than the eulogy that
the president pronounces. The presi-
dents endorsement is of no value un-
less the president will agree to stay
in Washington and see that Mr.. Taft
makes good"
In these words William J. Bryan
summed up his opinion of the letter of
President Roosevelt commendatory of
Mr.. Taft. ut was expected, of course"
said Mr. Bryan, that President Roose-
welt would support Mr.. Taft. He could
hardly do less in view Of the fact that
he selected him as the administration
candidate and supported him with all
the influence that the administration
could bring to bear. The presidents
letter, however, may be objected to
as irrelevant, immaterial and not the
SSoC SEAoSASO. IL Vll dIL Wei u0du
it would be interesting to know from
Mr.. Roosevelt what he knew of Mr..
Taft's opinions and work, but as Mr..
Taft is alive and able to speak for
himself it is hardly necessary for Mr..
Roosevelt to tell us what Mr.. Taft
will do.
Amends Republican Platform.
'Mr. Taft is running upon a plat
form which was so unsatisfactory that
he had to amend it in several partic-
u]ars and yet even as amended it
gives the public no definite idea as to
what Mr.. Taft stands for. Mr.. Taft
also has made some speeches and
promises to make some more. The
ones he has already made have not
thrown any light upon the political
situation, but it is to be hoped that he
will yet conclude to define his position
with sufficient clearness to enable the
public to know what he stands for.
It is not sufficient for the president to
say that Mr.. Taft is a friend of labor
That Is subject upon which the Ia
boring man is entitled to an opinion
and Mr.. Taft's friendship is to be de-
termined not by the presidents en-
dorsement, but by the measures which
Mr.. Taft advocates. Mr.. Taft believes
that the labor organizations should
come under the operation of the anti
trust law, thus dealing with the men
who belong to the labor organizations
as if they were merchandise, for the
antitrust law deals with the monopoly
Of the products of labor.
Labor Denied Trial by Jury.
"Mr. Taft is opposed to trial by jury
in cases of indirect contempt, thus
denying to the laboring man a safe
guard which is guaranteed to every
man tried in a criminal court. Mr..
Taft does not agree with the laboring
man in regard to the use of the in
Junction in labor disputes. No words
Of praise from the president can
change Mr.. Taft's attitude on this
question or make that attitude more
acceptable to the wage earners.
''Mr. Taft's position on trusts is not
changed by the presidents endorse
ment. The president himself has not
succeeded in putting any trust mag
mates in the penitentiary and only
lew of the trusts have been disturbed
If Mr.. Taft is not more successful
than the president in his attack on the
trusts he will not satisfy the expecta'
tons of the public. There are more
trusts in the country today than there
were when Mr.. Roosevelt was 1nau.
gurated and Mr. Taft favors a weak
ening rather than strengthening of
the antitrust law, for he has advo-
Gated an amendment that will limit
the operation of the law to unreason-
able restraint of trade.
Not Clear on Tariff Question.
ION the tariff question Mr.. Taft has
failed to express himself with clear
ness. The Republican platform does
not use the word reduction It only
promises revision and Mr.. Taft had
construed that to mean that some
schedules will be lowered and some
raised, but there is no intimation that
the average will be lower or higher
than it is now.
"And so in. regard to all the ques-
tons which are at issue. Mr.. Taft
must make his position known. He
cannot rely upon the presidents en-
dorsement. An endorsement on note
is not necessary if the maker of the
note is good and the endorsement is
only good when suit can be brought
against the endorser to enforce it. If
Mr.. Taft had a reform record of his
own he would not need to be endorsed
by the president and the presidents
endorsement is of no value unless the
nracidanf Srill aoraa to stax in Mash.