Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-08-13

W
which had the endorsement of the
President, but the Senate refused even
to consider the measure, and since that
tir1e no effort has been made by the
dominant party to secure remedial
legislation upon this subject.
Fer 10 years the Interstate Commerce
Commission has been asking for an en-
largement of its powers. that it might
pr1vtn' r7b"teS ard disr:iGl;n2t '0ns
but Republican senate and :~nuN-
Icon House of ReorS Sentativee were
unmo",.l by its cntreatics. In 1890 thu
Republican national conventions "a>
urged To endorse the demand fo" rail
way legislation hut its platform WAS
silent on the subject. Even in 1906
the convention gave no pledge to rem
edy these abuses. When the Pres '''r.t
finally asked for legislation, he drew
his inspiration from three Democratic
national piatfnrmS and he r"""ir' i
moro cordial support from the Demo-
Gratis than from the Republicans y "
Republicans in the Senate deliberately
defeated several amendments offered
by Senator LaFollette and supported
by the Democrats-amendme en-
bodying legislation asked by the Inter
state Commerce Commission. One of
these amendments authorized the as
certainment of the value of railroads.
This amendment was not only defeated
by the Senate but it was overWhelm-
ingly rejected by the recent Eepubli-
can national convention, and the Re-
publican candidate has sought to res
che his party from the disastrous re-
suits Of this act by expressing him
self. in a qualified way, in favor of
ascertaining the value of the railroads.
Mr.. Taft complains of the over-issue
Of stocks and bonds of railroads, "fGr
the unlawful enriching of directors
and for the purpose of concentrating
tho control of the railroads under one
mana cement" and the complaint is
we'll founded. But, with President
to point out the evil, and a Republican
Congress to correct it, we find moth
Eg done for the protection of the pub
lie. Why? My honorable opponent has,
by his confession. relieved me of the
necessity of furnishing proof: he adj
mits the condition and he can not
aVOi1 the logical conclusion that must
bo drawn from the admission. There
is 10 doubt whatever that a large ma
ic"ity Of the voters of the Republican
p:rty rooo2niZe the deplOrable Situa-
ton which Mr. Taft describes; they
re"""riZ" that the masses have had
b. int" influence upon legislation or
u'on The administration of the gov
erGEcnt. and they are beginning to
understand the cause. For n genera
ton the Republican party has drawn
its campaign funds from the benefici-
aries of special legislation. Privileges
have been pledged and granted in re-
turn for money contributed to debau"h
elections. What can be expected when
official authority is turned over 70 the
representatives of those who first fur
nish the sinows of war and then reim-
Nurse themselves out of the pockets
of the taxpayers?
So long as the Republican party re-
mains in power, it is powerless to re-
generate itself 1t can not attack
wrong-doing in high places without
diSgra cling many of its prominent
members, and it. therefore. uses OPT
ates instead of the surgeons knife. Its
malefactOrS cOnStrue each Repubhcan
victory as an endorsement of their con-
duct and threaten the party with de-
feat if they are interfered with. Not
until that party passes through a
period of fasting in the wilderness. VIII
the Republican leaders learn to study
public questions from the standpoint of
the masses. Just as with individuals,
Of hi
ceitfulness of riches choke the TRUTH
so in politics. when party leaders serve
far away from home and are not IN
constant contact with the voters. con-
tinucd party success blinds their eyes
t. the needs of the people and makes
them deaf to the cry of distress.
An effort has been made to secure
legislation requiring publicity as to
campaign contributions and expendl-
lures: but the Republican leaders, even
in the fact of an indignant public, re-
fused to consent to a law which would
compel honesty in elections. When the
matter was brought up in the recent
Republican national convention, the
plank was repudiated by vote OF $50
to a. Here, too, Mr.. Taft has been
driven to apologize for his convention
and TO declare himself in favor OF a
publicity law; and yet. if YOU Will read
what he says upon this subject, you
will find that his promise falls far
short of the requirements of the sltua-
ton. He says:
"If | am elected President. I shall
urge upon Congress. with every hope
of success, that q law be passed re-
quiring the filing, in federal office,
of a statement of the contributions re-
ceived by committees and candidates
in elections for members Of Congress,
and in such other elections as are con-
stitutionally within the control of Con-
gress."
/ shall not embarrass him by asking
him upon what he bases his hope OF
success: it is certainly not on any en-
couragement he has received from
Republican leaders. 1t is sufficient to
say That if 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, it would give but par
tial relief He has read the Democrat
ic platforms not only his language, but
-. ,,,;lapt ola Indicates that he