The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-13

uHWno1S&ome methods or crushing out competition, and to defrauding the pub lie by stock -jobbing and the manfpu lation Of securities. Certain wealthy men of this stamp. whose conduct should be abhorrent to every man of ordinary decent conscience, and who commit tho hideous wrong of teaching our young men that phenomenal busi. ness success must ordinarily be based on dishonesty. have. during the last few months. made it apparent that they have banded together to work for a re- action. Their endeavor is to overthrow and discredit all who honestly admin al legislation which would check and restrain them. and to secure, if possi- ble, freedom from all restraint which will permit every unscrupulous wrong provided he has enough money. !" interests.
 Is the Presidents indictment true? dictment directed? Not against the Democratic Party.
 Mir. Taft Endorses the indictment
 MT. Taft says that these evils have crept in during the last ten years. He declares that. during this time, some
 prominent and influential members of the community ..spurred by financial success and in their hurry for greater wealth. became unmindful of the com mon rules of business honesty and fidelity, and of the Limitations imposed by law upon their actions" and that the revelations of the breaches of trusts, the disclosures as to rebates and determinations by railroads, the accu- mulating evidence Of the violations of the anki-trust laws, by number of cor poratfcns. and the over-issue of stocks and bonds of interstate railroads for the unlawful enriching of directors and for the purpose of concentrating the control of the railroads under one man. sagement.-aii these, he charges.
 quickened the conscience of the peo- Ras. Rls and brought on a moral awaken
 During all this time. beg to remind you, Republican officials presided in Cabinet. dominated the Senate, controil. cd the House of Representatives and occupied most of the Federal judge ships. Four years ago the Republican lss0-with the exception Of two years --the Republican Party had been in control of part or of ali the branches of the Federal Government: that for Party in a position to either enact or repeal law. Having drawn the sala- ries; having enjoyed the honors; having secured the prestige. let the Republican Party accept the responsibility.
 Republican Party Responsible.
 Why are these Known ab4ses'' per. mitted to develop7 Why have they not been corrected? If existing laws are sufficient. why have they not been en- forced? All of the executive ma- chinery of the Federal Government Is In the hands of the Republican Party. Are new laws necessary? Why have they not been enacted? With a Re- publican President to recommend, with a Republican Senate and House to car ry out his recommendations, why does the Republican candidate plead for fur ther time in which to do what should have been done long ago2 Can Mfr :. Taft promise to be more strenuous fin the prosecution of wrong -doers than the present executive? Can he ask for larger majority in the Senate than nis party now has? Does he need more Republicans in the House of Represent- attyes or a Speaker with more unlim- fled authority?
 The Presidents close friends have been promising for several years thai he would. attack the iniquities of the tartn. We have had intimat ton that MT. Taft was restive under the de- mands of the highly protected indus tries. And yet the Influence of the manufacturers, who have for twenty nve years contributed to the Repub- lican campaign fund. and who in return nave framed the tariff schedules. has been sufficient to prevent tariff re- form. As the present campaign ap- preached, both the President and MT Taft declared in favor of tarifr revision put set the date of revision after the election. But the pressure brought to bear by the protected interests has been great enough to prevent any at- tempt at tarfd reform before the cleo ton; and the reduction promised after the election Is so hedged about with qualifying phrases, that no one cau estimate with accuracy the sum totaj Of tariff reform to be expected in case of Republican success. If the past can Party win be so obligated by cam. | poign contributions from the beneffci. aries of protection ,as to make that party powerless to bring to the counfry | any material relief from the pres.n, tarim burdens.
 Why no Antl-Trust LexisIatlou A few years ago the Republican lead. CTS in the House of Representatfves were coerced by public opinion into tn, support of an antitrust law which hat | the endorsement of the President hi the Senate refused even to consider tae the measure, and since that time n' party to secure remedial Legislation upon this subject. Way No Railroad LeEfsIntlonS
 For ten years the Interstate Com merce Commission has been askinf for an enlargement of it's powers. thai It might prevent rebates and discrim, nations. but Republican Senate ant Republican House of Representatives
 were unmoved by its entreaties IT 1900 the Republican national conven. ton was urged to endorse the demand | for railway Legislation, but it's piat. form was silent on the subject. Ever In l9O4. the convention gave no pledge | to remedy these abuses. When tn. President finally asked for legislation he drew his inspiration from three Democratic national platforms and ht received more cordial support iron l the Democrats than from the Repub. licans: The Republicans in the Sen | ate deliberately defeated seyera amendments offered by Senator LaFol- l lette and supported by the Democrats amendments embodying Legislation | asked by thee Interstate CommerC | Commission. One of these amendments
 authorized the entertainment of the
 value of railroads. This amendment l was not only defeated by the Senate
 but it was verwhelminRly reflected 1 by the recent Republican national con,
 vention. and the Republican candidate | has sought to rescue his party from l the disastrous results of this act by expressing himself, in a qualified way 1 in favor of ascertaining the value oi l the railroads.
 | OVer-Issue of Stocks and Bonds. | Mir. Taft complains of the over-issut
 of stocks and bonds of railroads. "foi the unlawful enriching of directors
 and for the purpose of concentrating | the control of the railroads under on,
 management" and the complaint fl well founded. But. with a Presiden l to point out the evil, and a Repuhli can Congress to correct it. we fint
 nothing done for the protection of tn, | public. Why? My honorable oppon ent has, by. his confession. relieve,
 me of the necessity of furnishing
 proof; he admits the condition and h
 can not avoid the logical conclusion
 that must be drawn from the admis
 sion. There is no doubt whatever tha
 a large majority of the voters of tn | Republican party recognize the de
 plorable situation which Mir. Taft de
 scribes: they recognize that the masse
 have had but little influence upon leg