The Detroit times., 1908-02-14

| The Moral Awakening as the subject
OF his speech Of Thursday afternoon In
Harmonic hall. While he dealt with
the problems OF railway rate regula-
ton and trade monopolies. he spoke of
them In the light of the aroused con-
science Of the American people.
| Greatly to the disappointment OF
his hearers, the war secretary and
presidential probability, had but a
half-hour to speak, owing to delays In
starting the luncheon. The hall was
crowded, floor and gallery, and that
the sentiment OF the state Is for Taft
was well demonstrated by the repeat
ed applause that greeted every men
ton OF his name.
Men from all parts of the state. and
OF both political parties. were present
The list of speakers was long. but
Toastmaster Thomas w. Palmer limit
ed the speakers strictly
| BY the trend of his remarks. Secre-
tary Taft pledged himself to follow the
policies OF his chief, Theodore Roose-
welt, although he did not mention the
latters' name. He spoke In part as
| follows:
| I'VE have heard great deal In ref
erence to the moral awakening in this
country In regard to the elimination
from business methods OF illegality
and fraud, and a moral awakening
from the evils growing out OF illegal
business conditions.
Now, l am not going TO attack or
fabGse the railroads all know how
1t was brought about We know
1t was brought about In competition
and we know that some combinations
Of capital went to the railroads and
said: III you do not give US preferred
rates; IL you do not discriminate in
our favor, we will offer our business
tn another railroad And the railroads
yielded.
| Remedy for Discrimination.
| 81 shall first take up the remedy
for discrimination in freight rates.
This moral awakening was facilitated
by the consciences Of certain men who
were charged with the leading of pub
lie opinion and among others the first
citizen OF the republic, the president
OF the United States. He determined
that he would have bill passed that
would regulate the railroads and pre-
vent continuation OF that discrimina-
ton.
Everyone within the sound OF my
voice, II he knows anything about 1t,
knows that the passage OF the bill
and the spirit Of the people which was
shown In making the passage Of that
bill necessary, have revolutionized the
railroad business In this country. No
longer are we having rebates, no long
er are we having discrimination and
the railroad man, IL he tells you the
truth. will be rejoicing that he Is able
to look into the faces OF his fellow
business men and know that now he
Ia conducting his business under the
law and not outside OF 1t.
The truth Is, gentlemen, that we
have not quite enough regulation of
the railroads. mean that there are
| other powers which ought to be con-
ferred on the interstate commerce
commission In order to make It eff
| fective.
The question we have to decide is
whether we can secure men to nut
on this tribunal and give them power
enough to regulate railroads In such
way as not to interfere with hon.
est, legitimate business, or whether
we shall go to government owner.
ship and Interstate socialism.
Opposes Government Ownershlp.
Government ownership and the
concentrated power 1t would place In
Washington would endanger the re.
public. We have enough concentrat,
ed power at Washington now. GOV
eminent ownership would place with
the chief executive an appointive pow
er that would make the president
stronger and more powerful than any
king that lives"
After describing the means by
which large corporations OF capital
have, by combination. destroyed com.
petition and artifcially regulated
prices, referring to corruption OF city
councils and legislatures and assert
ing that corporate investments OF
capital were used In such a way that
made the money obtained therefrom