The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-07-28

Committee:
am deeply sensible OF the honor
which the Republican National Conven-
ton has conferred on me in the nOmina-
ton which you formally tender. / &C
cept it with full appreciation Of the re-
sponsibnity it imposes.
Gentlemen, the strength of the Re
publican cause in the campaign at hand
is in the f2ct that we represent the
policies essential to the reform of known
abuses. to the continuance of liberty
ard true prosperity, and that we are
determined, as our platform unequiVo-
Cally declares, TO maintain them ana
carry Them on For more than len
years this country passed through an
epoch OF material development FAR be-
yOnd any that ever occurred in the
world before. In its course, certain evils
crept in. some prominent and lnuuen-
tial members OF the community, spurred
by financial success and in their hurry
for greater wealth, became Unmlndful OF
the common rules OF business honesty
and fidelity and of the limitations I'M
posed by law upon their action. This
became known. The revelations of the
breaches of trust, the disclosures as 10
rebates and determinations by railways,
the accommodating evidence OF the VIOLA
ton of the antitrust law BY number
Of corporations, the OverlSsue OF STOCKS
and bonds on interstate railways for the
The purpose Of concentrating control OF
railways in one management, all quick
ened the conscience OF the people. ana
brought on a moral awakening among
Them that boded well for the future OF
the country
What Roosevelt Gas Done.
The man who formulated the expires
sion OF the popular conscience and who
led the movement for practical reform
was Theodore Roosevelt. He laid down
the doctrine that the rich violatOr of
the law should be rs amenable 10 re-
straint and punishment as the offender
without wealth and without influence,
and he proceeded by recommending
legislation and directing executive &C
ton to make that principle good in
actual performance
He secured the passage of the So
called rate bill, designed more effective
~ 70 restrain excessive and FIX reason
able rates, and to punish secret rebates
and determinations which had been
general in the practice of the railroads,
and which had done much TO enable IN
lawful trusts to drive out Of business
their competitors.
II secured much closer supervision Of
railway transactions ard brought with
in the operation Of the sumo statute
express companies, sleeping car COM
panies. fast freight and refrigerator
lines, terminal railroads and pipe lines,
and forbade in future the combination
Of the transportation and shipping bust
ness under one control in order TO avoid
undue discrimination
President Roosevelt directed suits 10
be brought and prosecutions to be in
stituted under the antitrust law, TO en-
fierce its provisions against the most
powerful Of the Industrial corporations.
He pressed to passage the pure food
law and the meat inspection law in the
interest Of the health Of the public,
clean business methods and great ulti-
mate benefit to the trades themselves
He recommended the passage Of a
law, which the Republican convention
has since specifically approved, restrict
ing the future issue of stocks and bonds
BY interstate railways to such as may
be authorized by Federal authority.
He demonstrated to the people by
what he said, by what he recommended
TO Congress, and by what he did, the
sincerity of his efforts to command re-
spect for the law, to secure equality OF
all before the law, and to save the
country from the dangers Of pluto
cratic government, toward which we
were fast tending.
In this work Mr.. Roosevelt has had
the support and sympathy Of the Re
publican party, and its chief hope OF
success in the present controversy must
rest on the confidence which the people
Of the country have in the sincerity Of
the party's declaration in it's platform,
that it intends to continue his policies.
Securing Progress Made.
Mr.. Roosevelt has set high the stand
ard OF business morality and obedience
to law. The railroad rate bin was more
useful. possibly. in the immediate moral
effect Of its passage than even in the
legal effect Of its very useful provisions
From its enactment dates the voluntary
abandonment Of the practice Of rebates
ard determinations by the railroads and
the return by their managers to obedi-
ence to law in the fixing Of tariffs.
The pure food and meat inspection
laws and the prosecutions directed by
the President under the antitrust Law
have had a similar moral effect In the
general business community and have
made II now the common practice FOL
the great industrial corporations to con
suit the law with a view TO keeping
within it's provisions. 1t has also had
the effect Of protecting and encOurag-
ing smaller competitive companies Sc
that they have been enabled to do c
profitable business.
But we should be blind to the ordi
nary working Of human nature if ",
did not recognize that the moral stand
ards set by President Roosevelt Will no
continue to be observed by those whom
cupidity and a desire for financial power
may tempt, unless the requisite ma
chinery is introduced into the Law
which shall in it's practical operation
maintain these standards and secure TIT
country against a departure from them
What Has Been Done.
The chief function Of the next Admin
istration. in my judgment is distinc
from, and a progressive development OF
that which has been performed by
President Roosevelt. The chief function
of the next Administration is 10 com
plete and perfect the machinery b!
which these standards may be main
tained. by which the law-breakers ma!
be promptly restrained and punished
but which shall operate with sufhcien