The Topeka state journal., 1908-09-08
TAFT TALKS POLITICS.
Deals With Bryan and the Issues at
Sandusky. Ohio.

--~A-7H@Es 1890
Sandusky, o., Sept. Sin speech in
the local theater here today, William
H. Taft not only ridiculed Mr.. Bryan's
claim to be the heir or the father of
the Roosevelt policies, but delivered
himself of an emphatic pledge. After
analyzing the more important of these
policies he said that if elected he pro-
posed to devote all the ability that is
in him to the constructive work of sus-
gesting to congress the means BY
which the Roosevelt policies shall be
clinched
Surrounded on the stage of the local
theater by the Erie county committee
and distinguished Republicans, Mr.
Taft delivered his first political speech
of the day to fully seated house hav-
ing a capacity of 1900. Mr.. Taft got
an ovation when he came upon the
stage. -.
Representative Keifer. the first
speaker, took a parting shot at Bryan
everywhere except in those states of
this union where Democracy is COM
pletely dominant"
General H. c. Corbin followed with a
short exhortation in favor of political
energy after which former Governor
Myron T. Herrick spoke against a gov
ernment guarantee of bank deposits.
Mr. Taft. in beginning his speech, re-
ferred to the panic OF last year. Con-
fidence, he said was a plant of Slow
growth. The people of the country,
farmer, laborer, capitalist-were all in
the same boat. The investment of
money was, he said, necessary for the
reutrn of prosperity, and confidence was
necessary.
And 1 want to say to the men and
women of this country-for l want to
interest the women on these questions
that the election of Mr.. Bryan would
be a menace to the confidence which Is
necessary to the confidence on which
prosperity rests"
This statement was warmly ap-
plauded.
Roosevelt Policies.
Mr.. Taft said what he wanted to talk
about was Mr.. BryanS claim that he
is not only the heir to the policies of
Theodore Roosevelt but that he is also
the parent of those policies" Gaugh-
ter) Let us then see,' continued Mr.
Taft, what the Roosevelt policies are.
and what has been the attitude of the
Democratic party towards that ac-
tion.''
The evil of rebates was then de-
scribed and the remedy-the rate bill
and the provision against rebates dis
cussed. The trust question was then
taken up. "Mr. Bryan says the trusts
control the Republican party, conse-
quently their control can not be ex-
pected by them. What is the history
of the Democratic party? When it was
in power it admitted it could not agree
on a remedy. The Republicans passed
the Sherman antitrust law, and Theo-
dore Roosevelt has been enforcing it."
Mr. Taft here illustrated this en-
fnrnnU1nnf hxr PnnRrafo saving.
II like to get down to facts, for l
am not an orator. 1 can not dwell. in
the cerulean blue, I have got to deal
with real cases.
The Addison Pipe cases was then ex
planned to. show how under the anti
trust law this monopoly had been To-
Gated and remedied, the remedy being
to prevent the sitting of competition.
1--WE do not said MI. Taft, want
to prevent large aggregations of cap
ital for legitimate business. They pro-
duce a large wage fund and we do not
want to drive them out. of business If
they keep within the law.
A Further Remedy.
Now as to a further remedy. What
we need is the increase of the machin
cry of government for the supervision
of these companies, which have the
temptation to violate the law, also that
we shall have the facilities at Wash
ington to carry on speedy prosecutions
so that when a charge is brought it
can be determined speedily and the
law interpreted and understood"
Here it was that Mr.. Taft reached
the climax of his speech with the en-
phatic declaration:
"If / am elected president. propose
to devote all the ability that is in me
to the constructive work of suggesting
to congress the means by which the
Roosevelt policies shall be clinched
(prolonged appIause.) But that is to
he done not with the turn of the hand;
not as Governor Hughes so ably said
at youngstown Saturday, by a ma
eician's wand. 1t must be done by men
who understand the operation of the
statutes; who know what the law
means and who understand its practi-
cal workings and effect. Men who are
that the reforms can not be
brought about by the mere passage of
statutes but by their earnest, consis-
tent enforcement, step by step, until
those who are likely to violate them
shall understand that the penalty will
be theirs IL they violate them"
Mr.. Taft concluded with the declar-
alton that Bryan has no more right to
saw that he is heir of the Roosevelt
poIicies than the Tichborne claimant
had to the Tichborne- estate.
The speaker explained that the heir
he had referred to was proven not only
not to be the rightful heir. but merely
a false friend of the rightful heir.
MRS. MEDLICOTT HURT.