The daily sentinel., 1908-08-12

licans or democrats. So far did the
republican convention fall short of
it's duty that the republican candidate
felt it necessary to add to his plat
form in several important partic-
ulars, thus rebuking the leaders of
the party, upon whose cooperation
he must rely for the enactment of
remedial legislation.
las | shall, in separate speeches,
discuss the leading questions at issue,
| shall at this time confine myself to
the paramount question, and to the
far-reaching purpose of our party, as
that purpose is set forth in the plat
form.
Shall The People Rule?
'Our platform declares that the
overshadowing issue which manifests
itself in all the questions now under
discussion, is Shall the people ruler
No matter which way we turn; no
matter to what subject we address
ourselves, the same question con-
fronts us: Shall the people control
their own government, and use that
government for the protection of
their welfare? or shall the represen
tatives of predatory wealth prey
upon defenseless public. while the
offenders secure immunity from sub
servient 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 Party.
In message sent to congress last
January, President Roosevelt said:
The attacks by these great corpora
tions on the administration actions
have been given a wide circulation
| throughout the country, in the news
papers and otherwise, by those writ
ers and speakers who, consciously or
unconsciously, act as the representa-
tives of predatory wealth-of the
wealth accumulated on giant scale
by all forms of iniquity, ranging
from the oppression of wage earners
to unfair and unwholesome methods
of crushing out competition, and to
defrauding the public by stock-job-
bing and the manipulation of securi-
ties. Certain wealthy men of this
stamp, whose conduct should be alb
| horrent to every man of ordinarily de-
| cent conscience. and who commit the
hideous wrong of teaching our young
men that phenomenal business sue
cess must ordinarily be based on dis
honesty, have. during the last few
months, made it apparent that they
have banded together to work for
|
| throw and discredit all who honestly
| administer the law, to prevent any
| additional legislation which would
check and restrain them, and to Sc
| cure, ii possible, a freedom from all
restraint which will permit every
| unscrupulous wrong-doer to do what
he wishes unchecked. provided he has
enough money. What an arraign-
ment of the predatory interests.
rs the presidents indictment
true? And, if true, against whom
was the indictment directed? Not
against the democratic party.
MIR. 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 influent-
ial members of the community, spur
red by financial success and in their
hurry for greater wealth, became
unmindful of the common rules of
| business honesty and fidelity, and of
the limitations imposed by law upon
their actions:' and that the revela-
| tions of the breaches of trusts, the
| disclosures as to rebates and discrim-
| nations by railroads, the accumulat-
ing evidence of the violations of the
antitrust laws. by n number of cor
|
stocks and bonds OF interstate rail-
roads for the unlawful enriching of
directors and for the purpose of con-
centrating the control of the rail-
roads under one management all
these, he charges, 'quickened the con-
science of the people and brought on
a moral awakening.
During all this time. l beg to re-
mind you, republican officials pre-
sided in the executive department,
filled the cabinet, dominated the SEN
ate. controlled the house of repre-
sentatives and occupied most of the
federal judgeships. Four years ago
the republican platform boastfully
declared that since 1S60-with the
exception of two years-the repub-
lican party had been in control of
part or all the branches of the fed
eral government; that for two years
only was the democratic party in a
position to either enact or repeal a
law. Having drawn the salaries !;
having enjoyed the honors; having
secured the prestige, let the repub-
lican party accept the responsibility!
Republican Party Responsible.
why were these known abuses
permitted to develop? Why have
they not been corrected? If existing
Laws are sufficient vhy have thew