The Topeka state journal., 1908-02-11
That Is the Keynote Of Secre-
tary Taft's Speech
Delivered Before an Immense
Audience at Kansas City.
DEFENDS ROOSEVELT
From the Attacks of Those OPP
posing His Policies.
Says Fight Against Corporate
Lawbreakers Must Go On.

Kansas City, Feb. 11.-Last night
Secretary Taft spoke in Convention
hall at the banquet of the Young
Mems Republican club, sitting at the
head of feast of which 1900 men
partook, the biggest dinner ever
spread in Kansas City. Thousands of
people thronged the balconies and
boxes of the hall. At O'Clock the
dinner was over and the speaking be-
gan. Mayor H. M. Beardsley in
troduced the speakers, the most no.
| table of whom were Mr.. Taft and Her
bert S. Hadley, attorney general OF
Missouri. Mr.. Taft began speaking at
10 O'Clock.
1t was a brilliant spectacle when
Secretary Taft arose. With one ac-
cord the diners and the audience
which filled the galleries arose and
cheered for several minutes. Waiting
| for quiet to be restored, Mr.. Taft
| finally raised his hands for silence and
| then began his address. His speech
| follows:
Fellow Republicans: We meet to-
day to celebrate the memory of Abra-
ham Lincoln. One of the bases for
| the everlasting gratitude which the
| country owes him, is the part he took
| In the successful establishment in ma
tional political control of the Republ-
can party. Lincoln was a party man
as all men must be who expect to
| leave their Individual impress upon
| the political character OF the nation
| A modern government of a people
| of SO,O0O,0 900 is complicated under any
system. The difficulties of its man
| iagement are not lessened when we
| commit it's control to all males over
| the age of 81. and call 1T a republic
How 1t is possible to reduce the vary
| ing views of the entire population to
one resultant executive force which
| shall carry on this machine of govern
| ment in the public interest and for
| the public veal? The problem has
| been solved by the institution of par
ties. A party cannot be useful unless
| those who are members Of it. yield
their vices on some issues, and unite
with respect TO the main policies to
lbe pursued. The resultant solidarity
is necessary to secure efficacy. The
sense of responsibility for the con-
tinued successful operation of the
government must furnish cohesive
power. The party is the more efn-
/ cient, in which the members are more
nearly united on the great principles
of governmental action. Though
party has its platform, and on the
faith of it. has been elected to power,
many issues may unexpectedly arise
/ in the course of an administration, not
controlled by the party's declared
| principles. The disposition OF such
issues must depend on the ability and
courage Of the party leaders. A party
may divide on a new issue until by a
process of education the sounder
views prevails. and the party becomes
united again in the enforcement OF
the new principle. AS a party shows
| itself Homogeneous. able to grasp the
truth with respect to new issues, able
| to discard unimportant differences, OF
| opinion, sensitive with respect to the
l successful maintenance of govern
ment, and highly charged with the
responsibility of its obligation to the
| people at large, it established its
| claim to the confidence of the public
| and to its continuance in political
| mower. We are apt to deny to parties
| characteristics and traits like those OF
| a person; but venture to think that
history of political parties with life
and truth must always treat them as
having some personal attributes.
Spirit of Republicanism.
| The course of the Republican party
since it's organization in 1856. and its
real assumption of control in 1861.
| down to the present day. is remarkable
for the foresight and ability of its
leaders, for the discipline and solidari-
ty of its members, for its efficiency
| and deep sense of responsibility for the
preservation and successful main
/ tenance of the government. and Tor the
| greatest reSourcefulnesS IN meeting the
various trying and difficult issues
which a history of now full half CEN
1 tury have presented for solution. 1t
| a
violate the union of the states. Its
/ essence was that of nationalism, and its
| spirit was that of sacrifice, no matter
| how great, to maintain the integrity
| of our whole country. The federalism
| of Washington, Marshall and Hamil-
| ton was the guide of its constitutional
| construction. and it did not hesitate.
1 when the issue was presented, to sub
NIT its view Of the great fundamental
| instrument of our government to the
arbitrament of long and bloody war.
The leader of the Republican party
during the civil war was Abraham Lin
coin. In all the varieties of contro-
versy with which 1t has since had to
/ deal, it has never lost the aspiration
of his leadership.
| When the Republican party entered
| upon the war in 1861, the only issue 1t
| was willing to fight out was that of the
preservation of the Union. 1t did not
then assume the burden of the COM
plete abolition of slavery. There were
many in its ranks who pressed for
such declaration, but the time had
abolition inevitable, and Mr.. Lincoln,
| who was the greatest politician Of his
| age, led his party q long way by the
| emancipation proclamation. Even as
he did this. he created division IN
4 his party. 1t was one of the first in
stances in which the party showed its
| own power of self-preservatfon by
/ gradually convincing the minority OF
the Righteousness of the new issue.
After the nlartyrdom of Lincoln.
| came the period of reconstruction. and
amendments. The thirteenth amend
ment gave to the negro the bond of
freedom, but 1T left as children in the
world. 100000 or 5,000,000 Of peo-
pie, not per cent of whom could read
4 or write. and all of whom had been
/ dependent upon others for what they
ate and wore and did. Their emanci-