The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-16
TAFT |NDORSES
 ALL THE ISSUES War Secretary Staunchly De- fends the Administration QUESTION IS UNANSWERED Man In Audience Asks Taft About the $2e,ooo,ooo Fine When Trusts Are
 Mentioned and Is Answered
 With an Anecdote.
QUESTION IS UNANSWERED

Hartford, Conn, February 15.-Secretary ofs War Taft played a dual roll in the course of his visit to Hartford late to- day and this evening. A few minutes after he reached the city he addressed a big gathering at Foot Guard hall, and later he was the guest of honor at the annual dinner of the Hartford Yale Alum nj association. At both gatherings he was given a rousing welcome. In his Foot Guard hall speech the policies pre- sented by the late President Mckinley and those of the Roosevelt administration, together with some newer issues, formed the basis of his address. Secretary Ta1t indorsed all of the bigger issues of these administrations, including expansion, on which he spoke somewhat at length. He also discussed the relations of cap ital and labor stating that If capital found it desirable to organize for the protection of its interests, labor has d right to do the same, but that violations of law by labor would be punished just as severely and as certainly as the mis- deed of capital.
 He also spoke of the Panama canal, predicting it's completion in five years.
 Secretary Taft referred to the policies likely to characterize the presidential campaign and presented them under two heads-the policy of the Mckinley ad- ministration and the policies of the Roose- welt administration. The policies of the former, he said, might be placed under the term expansion, which policies did not cease when President Roosevelt be- gan his administration. He said that the democrats predicted that If Roosevelt were elected the country would be in- volved in more wars than ever before, but instead President Roosevelt was in strumental in stopping one of the biggest wars in recent years. He characterised him as one of the greatest opponents of peace in the world history. In dis cussing railroad measures and the legisla- ton enacted regarding them, Secretary Tat said that if any railroad presi- dents were interviewed today down deep in their hearts they would say that they were glad of what had happened, be- cause they are now able to hold up their heads, something some of them could not do before.
 An interruption occurred at this point when a man in the audience asked about the $29, 00O fine against the Standard Oil company, but the speaker turned the question off with an anecdote. The secre- tary then took up the issue of labor unionism and conceded the right of the working man to organize for his own protection. He said that on all but one pont-the question of wages7the laboring man and capitalist are practically agreed. Both know that 1t is necessary to have capital and that capital should have a suitable return, but there will always be a conflict on the matter of wages. It is necessary for the laboring man to provide common fund, If strike Is necessary.
 Secretary Taft referred to the abuse practced by fiduciary corporations by which funds are diverted from the ward to the trustee
 The recent disclosures, he said, shocked the public. There was a great moral awakening all over the country. He praised the employers liability bill and at the conclusion of his speech was loud ly appauded.