The Detroit times., 1908-08-13

Ait ~ ~ Il u ~ ~ u ~ AVA -
party. Are new laws necessary Why
have they not been enactedH With q
'Repubhcnn president to recommend,
with Republican senate and house TO
carrS>>o his recommendations. why
does the ltepubhcan candidate plead
for further time In which to do what
should have been done long ago? can
Mr. Taft promise 10 be more strenuous
In the prosecution of wrong doors than
the present executives Can he ask for
larger matority In the senate than
his party now has Does he need more
Republicans I'm the house OF represen-
tatlves or speaker with more unlim-
tied authority
Why 40 TariT Reform.
The presidents close friends have
been promising for several years tnat
he would attack the iniquities Of the
tariff. We have had intlmation tnat
MIR. Taft was FESTIVE under the demands
OF the highly protected~industrie And
yet the influence Of the manufacturers.
who have for 20 years contributed to
the Republican campaign fund. and
who Ia return have framed the tarlr
schedules. has been sufficient 10 pre-
vent tariff reform AS the present cam
paign approached, both the president
and Mr.. Taft declared In favor OF tariif
revision. but set the date OF reVisio 4
after the election. But the pressure
brought to bear by the protected inter
ests has been great enough To prevent
the election. and the reduction prom
ised after the election is 80 hedged
about with qualifying phrases, that no
one can estimate with accuracy the
sum total OF tariff reform To he expect =
ed In case OF Republican success II
the past can be taken as guide, the
Republican party Will he so obligated
by campaign contributions from the
beneficlaries OF protection as To make
that party powerless To bring to the
country any material relief from tho
present tariff burdens
Why No Antitrust LegisIstiont
a few years ago the Republican lead
ers In the house of representatives,
were coerced by public opinion into
the support OF an anti trust law which
had the endorsement Of the president,
but the senate refused even To consid-
Ell the measure, and since that time no
effort has been made by the dominant
party 10 secure remedial legislation
upon this subject.
Why NO Railroad LegislatiOnf
For ten years the interstate COM
merce commission mas been asking FOR
an enlargement OF us powers, that AZ
lnlSnI prevent rebates and discriminu
Republican house OF representatives
were unnONed by its entreaties. Ia
1900 the Republican national CONVEX
ton was urged To endorse the demand
for railway legislation, but its platform
was silent on the subject Even ~
1909, the convention gave no pleuse
10 ItlutuS iDcSt abuses. W htn ING
president finally asked Tor legislation,
ne drew his inspiration from three
Democratic national platforms ana hc
received more cordial support from tn"
Democrats than from the Republicans.
The Republicans in the senate delib-
erately defeated several amendments
offered by Senator LaFollett and sui-
ported by the Democrats--amendme
embOdying legislation asked by the IN
terstate commerce commission. one or
these amendments authorized the as
certainment OF the value OF railroads.
This amendment was not only defeat
ed by the senate. but 1t was over
Wheimingly rejected by the recent R,-
publican national convention, and tne
Republican candidate has sought to
rescue his party from the disastrous
results OF this act by expressing him
self. in "A qualified way. in favor Of
ascertaining the value OF the railroads
Over-Issue OF stocks and Bonds.
Mr. Taft complains OF the over-issue
OF stocks and bonds OF railroads, FOR
the unlawful enriChing OF directors aud
for the purpose OF concentrating the
control OF the railroads under one man
agement. and the complaint liz well
founded But, with "a president To
point out the evil, and Republican
congress TO correct ii. we ind nothing
done for the protection OF the public.
Why? My Honorable opponent has, by
his confession relieved me OF the ne
cessity OF furnishing proof; he admits
the condition and he can not avoid In"
from the admission, There is no doubt
whatever that q large majority of the
voters OF the Republican party recoA
nizc the deplorable situation which Mr.
Taft describes; they recognize that the
masses have had but little influence
upon legislation or upon the admins
tratlon or the government. and they
are beginning To understand the cause.
For generation. the Republican par
~ has drawn it's campaign funds from
the bencficiaries Of special legislation;
granted In return for money contribut-
ed TO debauch elections. What can %
expected when official authority is
turned over to the representative %
those who first furnish the sinews Of
war and then reimburse themselves out
OF the pockets Of the Taxpayers
Fasting In wilderness Necessary.
SO long as the Republican party re
generate Itself 1t can not attack
wrongdoing in high places with
out disgracing many OF its
prominent members, and II. there
fore uses opiates instead OF
the surgeons knife. Us malefac-
tors construe each Republican victory
AS an endorsement OF their conduct and
threaten the party with defeat n they
party passes through period OF fast
ing in the wilderness. will the Repub-
lican leaders learn to study public
questions. will the Republican, leaders
the standpoint OF the masses Just as
with individuals, the cares OF tnis
world and the deceitfulness or riches
choke the truth" 80 In politics when
party leaders serve far away from
home and are not I'm constant contact
with the voters. continued party sue
cess blinds their eyes To the needs OF
the people and makes them deaf TO the
cry Of distress.
Publicity us 10 Campaign Contributions
An effort has been made 10 secure
legislation requiring publicity as &"
campaign contributions and eNpendI-
lures. but the Republican leaders even
In the face of an indignant public. re-
fused to consent To law which would
compel honesty in elections. When tn /,
matter was brought up in the recent
Republican national convention, the
plank was repudlated by vote OF $40
TO 81. Here. too, Mr.. Taft has been
driven to apologize for his convention
and To declare himself in favor Of a
publicity law. and yet. IL you viii read
what he says upon this subject. YOU
will find that his promise falls far
short OF the requirements OF the situa-
ton. lie says:
N | am elected president shall
urge upon congress. with every hope
OF success. that law be passed re-
curing the filing In a federal Office
OF "A statement of the contributions re-
CeiVed by committees and candidates
in elections for members OF congress
and i'm such other elections as are con
stltutionally within the control OF con
gress."
| shall not embarrass him by ask
ing him upon what he bases his hone
Of success; IL Is certainly not on any
encouragement he has received fro'l
Republican leaders. II Is sufficient to
say that II his hopes were realized-if
In spite Of the adverse action OF his
convention. he should succeed In Sc
curing the enactment OF the very law
which he favors. IL would give but par
tial relief He has read the Demo
cratic platform. not only his language