Milford chronicle., 1908-10-23

A-A'AArH ANNlfNAAAN eNA1 -@E--1
Period of Development of En-
terpriSe and of National ard In
dividual Progress.
When Washington gave uD COM
mand of the army because there was
no more fighting to do, and turned
over 10 others the continuance along
peaceful lines Of the work which he
had carried on amid the thunder of
cannon and by bayonet charges, it
was not pretended that there was any
change in the purposes which actu-
ated the American people or their
leaders. The aim OF all was to es-
tablish on an indestructible footing
the independence of the United States
and to make the Republic united and
respected abroad and at home. When
hostilities ceased methods were
changed. but the policies were the
same, although they now assumed
constructive form.
When President Roosevelt took the
stand that no person, no corporation,
was above the laws of the United
States. he aroused an opposition hard
ly less formidable than war with
foreign enemy, and he had to take
measures to compel obedience to law
which seemed more strenuous and
aggressive than they really were be-
cause of the clamor raised by tnoser
who were forced to take their choice
between surrender to the require
ments OF law or legal punishment for
disobedience. II is n well known
fact that a wrong long perpetrated
with impunity comes to be regarded,
by the offender at least, as a right,
IN bfa n hrnn king
is, in his view. the greater wrong.
Such was the attitude not only OF
powerful wrOngdoers. but also OF a
large part of the public who had so
long endured fraud, eXtortion ana
oppression at the hands of law-defy-
ing corporations that they had
learned to accept these evils as mat
ters of course. out of the reach o.
legal processes that applied to or
binary lawbreakers. To change all
this required supreme courage, firm
resolve, and an indifference to un-
Just criticism and studied misrepre-
sentation.
Present conditions more than JUS
tify the so-called Roosevelt policies.
1t can be said Bithout fear Of re-
sponsible contradiction that there is
not in the United States to-day cor
poration of importance enough to be
within public view that openly deiies
the law. Rebating IS unKnUwn, or
where carried on, is conducted with
the same secrecy as counterfeiting,
or any other crime. the perpetrators
Of which look for prompt punishment
to follow detection. The orders of
The Interstate Commerce Commission
are obeyed, where not suspended by
appeals to the courts. There is evil
lence that former offenders have gen
orally come to the conclusion that it
S best for them, from every point of
riew, to be in the right, so far as com
lliance with the law is concerned, and
most important of all-the public
rave been fully aroused from aDa-
hetic Indifference to lively interest
n the enforcement of law against
malefactors of great wealth"
Mr.. Taft will face an entirely diff
erent situation from that which con-
ronted President Roosevelt. The
Roosevelt policies are now in the
obstructive stage, and Mr.. Taft, as
e has shown in the Philippines and
t Panama, and in his varied duties
IS Secretary of War, is eminently a
obstructive statesman. There will be
10 going backward; no reaction to-
'ard the federation of Offenses which
resident Roosevelt has justly made
diOus; but there viii probably be
title occasion for severity now that
hose who defied the law have been
hastened into the conviction tina IL
oes not pay, that neither the Go,
rnment nor the people will stand for
nlawful methods in business. and
hat, as the old saying has it, honesty
) the best policy.
Mr. Taft, as President, will be as
)yal to the Roosevelt policies as the
cedle to the pole, but he will not
ave the same problems to confront,
r rather, not the same phase of the
anne problems. He will be in a po-
.tiOn not dissimilar from that which
e took when he went to administer
he Philippines, after the hard fight
lg had been done, and the battle
on. But if any corporation, or in
ividual, however powerful and
ealthy, should dare to raise his hand
! the same spirit of defiance that
nee prevailed, against the laws Of
1e United States, that corporation or
ldividual would find in Taft another
Indications all point however. TO
armony and prosperity under the
aIJ regime, 10 long period OF ue-
slopment of enterprise and of ma
onal and individual progress. The
Roosevelt policies" will bear rich
uit in the achievements resulting
ON the impulse given to individual
fort and fair competition by the
'oof that those policies were ret
erely for a day but for all time, and
at every citizen is to have equal
,pOrtunity in the pursuit of wealth
I'd happiness The election Of Alr.
lft will give assurance and stimulus
every form of legitimate business,
cause everyone will feel secure in
e possession Of those legal rights
itch President Roosevelt has striven
manfully to vindicate, and which
esident Taft will not less manfully
fend
. Ia