Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1908-09-18

Inaueurated by the Present Ad-
ministration.
Mr.. Conrad Kohrs. of Helena, Mon
xana. is an old time Montana cattle man
and one of the most prominent citizens
of Montana. He and the president came
into close relationship more than 20 years
ago when they were both members of the
Montana Stock Growers association. the
president being at that time the repre-
sentative of the Little Missouri Stock
Growers in the association. The inti-
macy has been kept up ever since. Mr.
Kohrs is of the pioneer citizens
of the northern Rocky mountain region
and one of the men who has taken
leading part in its great development.
Sycamore Hill.
oyster Bay, N. Y, Sept 9, 190S
My Dear Mr.. Kohrs:
have received your letter about the
candidacy of Mr. Taft, the man who 1
feel is in an especial sense the repre-
sentative of all that in which ! most
believe I'm political life.
Every good citizen should desire to see
both prosperity and justice, prosperity
and fair and righteous dealing as be-
tween man and man, obtain permanently
In this great republic. AS a people we
are justly proud of our business indus
try, of our energy and intelligence in our
work; and II is entirely right that we
should ask ourselves as to any given
course of conduct: "Will IL be profitable?"
But II is also no less emphatically true
that the bulk of our people, the plain peo-
pie who found in Abraham Lincoln their
especial champion and spokesman, re-
gard the question: rs this morally
rlSht?" as even more important than the
question: rs this profltable?" when ap-
piled TO any given course of con-
duct. Indeed, in the long run our
people are sure TO find that in
all dealings, alike in the business
and the political world. what is really
profitable is that which is morally right.
Tho last few years have seen n great
awakening OF the public conscience and
the growth OF n stern determination to do
away with corruption and unfair deal
ing, political, economic, social. II is ur
gently necessary that this great reform
movement should go on. But no reform
movement is healthy II 1t goes on by
spasms; If 1t is marked by periods of
frenZied advance, followed. as such peri
ods of frenzicd advance must always be
followed, by equally violent periods of
reaction. To permit the direction of our
public affairs to fall alternately into the
hands of the revolutionaries and reac-
tionaries, OF the extreme radicals OF un-
rest and of the bigoted conservatives who
recognize no wrongs to remedy, would
merely mean that the nation had EN-
bnrked on q feverish course OF violent
oscillation which would be fraught with
great temporary trouble, and would pro-
duce no adequate good in the end. The
true friend of reform, the true foe of
abuses. is the man who steadily perse-
Vers in rightIng wrongs. in warning
against abuses bat whose character and
training are such that he never promises
what he cannot perform, that he always
a little more than makes good what he
does promise, and that. while steadily
advancing, he never permits himself TO
be led into foolish eXcesses which would
damage the very cause he champions
In Mr.. Taft we have man who COM
bihes all of these qualities to n degree
which no other man in our public life
since the civil war has surpassed, The
honest man of means. the honest and
law-abiding business man, can feel safe
in his hands because of the very fact
that the dishonest man of great wealth.
the man who swindles or robs his fell
lows, would not so much as dare to de-
fend his evil-doing in Mr.. Tafts presence
Tho honest wage-worlIer, the honest la
boring man, the honest farmer, the hon
est mechanic or small trader. or man OF
small means, can feel that in "A peculiar
sense Mr. Taft will be his representative
because of the very fact that lie has the
same scorn for the dcmagoE that he has
for the corruptionist. and that he would
front threats of personal violence from
mob with the unequaling and lofty In
difference with which he would front the
powerful corporations.
l have naturally n peculiar interest in
the success of Mr.. Taft and in seeing
him backed by a majority in both houses
of congress which will heartily support
his policies. For the last ten years while
| have been governor of New York and
president have been thrown into the
closest intimacy with him, and he and
have on every essential point stood
in heartiest agreement, shoulder to shoui
der. We have the same views as to whai
is demanded by the national interes'
and honor, both within our own borders
and as regards the relations OF this ma
ton with other nations. There is no ilSht
for decency and fair dealing which !
have waged in which l have not had his
heartiest and most effective sympathy
and support and the policies for which
stand are his policies as much as mine.
Mr.. Taft can be trusted to exact Justice
from the railroads for the very reason
that he can be trusted to do justice TO
the railroads. The railroads are the chlet
Instruments of interstate commerce IN
the country and they can neither be
held to a proper accountability on the
one hand nor given proper protection on
the other, save by the affirmative action
of the federal government. The law as
laid down by the federal courts clearly
shows that the states have not and can
not devise laws adequate to meet the
problems caused by the great growth OF
the railroads doing an interstate com
merce business, for more than four-hfths
of tho business of the railroads is inter-
state, and under the constitution of the
United States only the federal govern
ment can exercise control thereover. II
is absolutely necessary that this control
should be affirmative and thoroughgoing.
All interstate business carried on by the
great corporations should, in the interest
of the whole people. be far more closely
supervised than at present by the ma
tional government: but this Is especially
true of the railroads, which cannot ex-
ist at all save by the exercise OF powers
pranted them on behalf OF the people. and
which, therefore, should be held TO pc
cuiiar accountability to the people. II Ia
in the interest OF the people that they
should not be permitted to do Injustice;
and Il is no less to the interest OF the
,nennle that they should not suffer injus-