Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-22

"The great and sinister moneyed
interests which have shown such hos
tility to the administration and now
to Mr.. Taft, have grown to oppose the
administration on various matters not
connected with those which marked
the real point of difference. For in
stance. the entire agitation over
Brownsville was in a large part not a
genuine agitation on behalf of oolored
men at ALL but merely one phase of the
effort by the representatives of law
defying corporations to bring diScredit
upon the administration because it was
seeking to cut out the evils connected
not Only with the corrupt use of wealth,
but especially with the corrupt alliance
between certain business men OF large
fortunes and certain politicians of
great influence. The VenomOuS hOstil-
ity of these interests and of their spe
cial representatives in public life and
the press to the nomination of Mr..
TAFT Was merely the natural sequence
of their hostility to the measures of
the administration for the regulation
of great corporations doing an inter-
state business, and to the attitude of
tie administration in consistently pros
ecullIS dll OIltItutIS ol SItdI Wealth.,
precisely as it has prosecuted all other
offenders. Mr.. Taft has been nominated
for the very reason that he is the an
tithesis of the forces that We're re-
spcnsible for Mr.. Foraker. The letter
of Mr.. Taft is as follows:
War Department, Washington, d.
c.
"Points Au Pic, Canada, July 20,
1907
"'My Dear Mr.. --
"In respect to one inquiry of yours.
I wish to express myself with as much
emphasis as possible. that is, whether
I would object to a compromise reSo-
luton which shall include an endorse
ment of myself for the Presidency and
Senator Foraker for the senatorshlp.
In my Judgment it would be not only
Il great Notwithstanding more. 1t
would be accepted necessarily as
compromise on my behalf, and, there
fore with my acquiescence at least with
the acquieScence of friends for whose
actions I am more or less responsible.
Ii would totally misrepresent my po-
sition I don't care for the Presidency
if it has to come by compromise with
matter of principle He has opposed
the vital policies and principles of the
administration and in his opposition
has seized upon and magniied an
important but incidental matter to en-
barrass the administration, using in this
without scruple blind race prejudice
to accomplish his purpose. If | was
confronted with mere fractional differ
ence within the party not involving a
subject which must come up for consid-
Grafton and action by the next Re
publican national convention, / should
not be so emphatic in my conclusions
1t is not on my part question OF
personal feeling with respect to Sena-
tor Foraker. is is really
question of political principle. In
respect to this. the Legislature of Ohio
expressed what / believe to be
the sentiment of the people OF ONO
i'll a resolution asking the senate: to
support The rate bill, Senator Foraker
declined to follow this resolution
When the issue is whether he shall
be returned it must be determined, If
this is to be a representative form OF
government, not by the question
whether he has followed his conscience,
hut by the question whether he really
represents the principles that his con-
stituents desire supported and put into
practice The issue really is whether
the Republicans of Ohio, therefore. as
the constituents of a senatorial or
Presidential candidate supper, The
raain policies maintained by the admin
istraton or the opposition to those pol
go hn ,,n1ioins nf thc
administration ] cannot stultlfy my
self by acquiescence to any proposed
compromise which necessarily involves
the admission that the Republicans Of
Ohio regard this fundamental differ
ence of opinion as of no Importance and
one that can be waived in the interest
Of party harmony or the settlement OF