Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-08-12

lican platform boastfully declared that
since 1S60-with the exception OF two
years-the republican party had Deei
in control of part or of all the branches
of the federal government; that Io'
two years only was the democratic
party i'm a position to either enact or
repeal a law. Having drawn the sal
aries; having enjoyed the honors;
having secured the prestige, let the
republican party accept the respon-
sibility!
Republican Party Responsible.
"Why were these known abuses
permitted to develop? Why have they
rot been corrected? If existing laws
are sufficient, why have they not been
.,forced? Ali Of the executive ma
chinery of the federal government Is
in the hands of the republican party
Are new laws necessary? Why have
they not been enacted? With a re-
publican president to recommend,
with a republican senate and house 10
carry out his recommendations, why
does the republican candidate plead
for further time in which to do what
should have been done long ago! Gan
Mr.. Taft promise to be more strehu-
one in the prosecution of wrong-doers
tLan the present executive? Can ne
ask for larger majority in the senate
than his party now has? Does ne
reed more republicans in the house
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more unlimited authority?
Nby No Tariff Reform:
'The presidents close friends have
ltoep promising for several years that
he would attack the iniquitles OF tne
tariff We have had intlmatloh 'hat
Mr. Taft was FESTIVE under the de-
mands of the highly protected INDUS
tries. And yet the influence OF Ihe
manufacturers, who have for 20 years
contributed to the republican cam
paign fund, and who in return nave
framed the tariff schedules, mas oeen
sufficient to prevent tariff reform. AS
the present campaign approached
both the president and Mr.. Tatt de-
clared in favor of tariff revision, but
set the date of revision after the cleo
ton But the pressure brought to
bear by the protected interests mas
been great enough TO prevent any at
tempt at tariff reform before the cleo,
ton; and the reduction promised
after the election is so hedged about
with qualifying phrases, that no one
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total of tariff reform to be expected
lin case of republican success. If the
past can be taken as guide, the re-
publican party will be so obligated
by campaign contributions from the
benefciaries of protection, as to make
that party powerless to bring to the
country any material relief from the
present tariff burdens.
"A few years ago the republican
leaders in the house of representa-
tives were coerced by public opinion
into the support of an antitrust law
which had the endorsement of the
president but the senate refused even
to consider the measure, and since
that time no effort has been made by
the dominant party to secure remedia
legislation upon this subject.
why No Railroad Legislation.
For 10 years the interstate com
, lmerce commission has been asking fol-
an enlargement of its powers, that i
might prevent rebates and discrimina
tons but republican senate and {
| Ia of q a
were unmoved by its entreaties. Ii
1900 the republican national conven
ton was urged to endorse the demand
for railway legislation, but its plat
form was silent on the subject. Evel
in 1904, the convention gave no pledg,
to remedy these abuses. When TIL
= president finally asked for legislation
f he drew his inspiration from thre
: democratic national platforms and h
= received more cordial support frOn
q the democrats than from the reput
+ licans. The republicans in the senat
deliberately defeated several amend
G ments offered by Senator LaFollett
! ana supported by the democrats
amendments embodying Legislation
f asked by the interstate commerce
/, commission One of these amend
o ments authorized the ascertainment c
+ the value of railroads. This amend
lent was not only defeated by tn
, senate, hut it was overwhelmingly rC
4 jected by the recent republican n;
O tional convention, and the republica
!. candidate has sought to rescue hi
c party from the disastrous results {
this act by expressing himself, in
J. qualified way, in favor of ascertain
ing the value of the railroads.
Over Issue of stocks and Bonds.
"Mr. Taft complains of the owe
issue of stocks and bonds of raj
roads, for the unlawful enriching {
directors and for the purpose of col
centrating the control of the railroad
under one management and the con