Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-08-05
Judge Taft Sounds the Keynote
of the Campaign

Following are extracts from
Judge Taft's speech accepting tn
nomination of the Republican par
ty for President, delivered in Gin
cinnati Tuesday of last week:
"The moral standards set BY
President Roosevelt will not con
tinue to be observed by those whom
cupidity and a desire for financia
power may tempt unless the re-
quisite machinery is introduced in
to the law which shall, in its practi'
cal operation, maintain these stand.
ards and secure the country
against departure from them.
"The chief function of the next
administration, in my judgment,
is to complete and perfect the ma
chinery by which these standards
may be maintained, by which the
lawbreakers may be properly res
trained and punished, but which
shall operate with sufficient &C.
curacy and dispatch to interfere
with legitimate business as little as
possible. Such machinery is not
now adequate.
The Interstate Commerce Com
missions functions should be limi-
ted to the quasi judicial investiga-
tion OF complaints by individuals
and by department of the gov.
eminent charged with the execu-
tive business of supervising the
operation of railways.
sit is necessary to devise some
means for classifying and insuring
Federal supervision ofsuch corpor-
ations as have the power and temp.
tation to effect restraints of inter
state trade and monopolies.
GOOD business for the railroads
is essential to general prosperity.
"The valuation of the tangible
property of railroad is proper
and may from time to time be nee
essary in settling certain Issues,
and no evil or injustice can come
from valuation in such cases if it
be understood that the result Is
to be used for a just purpose and
the right to fair profit under all
the circumstances or the invest
ment is recognized.
"Unlawful trusts should be res
trained with all the efficiency of
process, and the persons
in maintaining them
should be punished with all the Sc
verify of criminal prosecution. To
destroy them and to eliminate the
wealth they represent from the pro-
ducing capital of the country
would entail enormOu loss,
and would throw out of employ
nent myriads of WORKING men and
women.
1.-THE Democratic platform pro.
poses to take off the tariff all
'rticles coming into competition
With those produced by the so
allied trusts and to put them on
he free list. II such a course
would be utterly destructive of
heir business, ss is intended. it
would not only destroy the trusts,
ut all of their smaller competi-
ore.
"The Democratic platform rec
mmends tax upon national
'anks and upon such State banks
8 may come in, in the nature of
nforcsd insurance to raise guar
nty fund 70 pay the depOsltors of
ny bank which fails. \ The
is to tax the honest
nd prudent banker to make up for
he dishonesty ard imprudence of
theirs. Probably the only bene-
t would accrue to the Spectator,
'hO would be delighted to enter
be banking business when it was
ertain that be could enjoy any
enefit that would accrue, while
be risk would have to be assumed
v his honest and Woodworking
elbow. {
"The Republican platform ex-
licitly demands justice for all
zen without regard to race or col {
r, and just as explicitly declares 1
Or the enforcement, without res {
rvation, In letter or in rplrit, of !
he Thirteenth, Fourteenth and {
fifteenth amendments to the Con g
1t is needless to state
lat / stand with my psrty square {
: on that plank in the platform. /
ga resident of New York has /
cen selected as treasurer of the t
National Committee. t
y His residence and the dis t
large of mis- duties in the State T
! New York 'ubject him to the
W Of that State as to all receipts
nd disbursements. His returns
i'll be under the obligations and 8
snalties of the law, and a mis-. s
atement by him or the filing of s
false account will subject him v
prosecution for perjury and vio- I
tion of the statute" G
The Great AppOintee S