The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-03-20

public for a generationg Where arc his speeches denouneing the Standard of Trust and the Steel Trust and the other trusts? The stockholders are not the only innocent parties: If they do not want to run the risk of paying fines. they can sell their stock of the law-breakfng corporations; but the consumer who is the victim of the trust what about him? The fact that Governor Hughes is not more anxious to prevent injustice to few stockholders than to much larger number of consumers. indicates the point of view from which he looks at public ques- tions. His veto of the two cent car fare bill is another Illustration. lie gave the beneflt of the doubt to tn. railroad instead of siving 1t to the people. What has Secretary Taft done, or is he doing. to protect the public from the misuse of corporate power rnand for the determination of the trusts, When he comes to the discus sion of tariff questions he is much more concerned about repubit- ca n victory than he is of tarin reform because he Is not willing to jeopor- dize republican victory for immedi- ate tarin reform.
 TnfG'B UMntmees.
 aBut I desire to present to what l regard as conclusive evidence of Sec retary Taft's unftness to deal with the question of corporations. You will find this evidence in a government re- port on the hearings before the com mittee of the house of representatives on insuiar affairs in the 5sth congress. Secretary Taft was a witness before the committee. There was in the charter of the Manila railway a pro- vision that at the end of 100 years. the railway should revert back to the Spanish government. The company had claims against the United States for occupation of the railroad for nine months Secretary Taft explained that he attempted to settle this claim by giving to the railroad perpetual franchise. The point that desire is to make is this: That Secretary Taft was willing to fasten upon the Filipino peopIe. a perpetual franchise and give to a railroad company the power to hold this franchise forever.
 The trouble Is that Secretary Taft looks at public questions from the standpoint of the men who own and operate the corporations which need regulation. whereas. reforms must come from those who look at the question from. the standpoint of the masses of the people.
 T have taken the three republicans who have been mentioned most with the presidency. I have not included Senator La Toilette, who is believe. real reformer and who has boldly championed the reform naeasures do not mention him because outside of his own state he does not seem to have any inhuentiaI supporters of the republican nominatfon and in his own state he has had ten years of fight agaiIst corporate influences.
 "But President Rooseyeit ip the leader of the reforms n the republi- can party and ynk he fAsaN national \ Itle0fpgfaEIcnHs E9ex esarY 1aafk fs ths presidents chosen candfdate for tns republican nomination And behold how biased he. Is in favor of the corpcra' tions as against the public.
 Governor Hughes, who is sometime' put in the class of refornners alth0ugf the chosen representative of the reac. tionary element, spends more time fl warning the public against inJustics to stockholders than in devising rem edIes which will insure the pubiis against exploitation.
 why democracy? Because the dem ocratic party is the only party sufii. ciently large to give hope of success and sufficiently democratic to give hope of relief after victory has been won.'