The Elbert County tribune., 1908-02-13
TAFT PRAISES
ROOSEVELT
GLOWING EULoeY OF THE PREsI.
DENT DELIVERED AT
KANSAS CITY.
IMMENSE GATHERING
DECLARES THAT PRESIDENT
LEADS HIS PARTY AS
LINCOLN DID.

Kansas City.-William II. Taft, sec
retary of war, was given an ovation by
$4,000 people in Convention hall Mon
day night, when he was the guest of
honor and principal speaker at the
most elaborate banquet ever attempted
in this city, given by the Association
of Young Republicans of Missouri and
attended by 1,200 persons. many of
whom came from Nebraska, Kansas,
Oklahoma and distant Missouri cities.
The demonstration accorded Secre-
tary Taft when he entered the great
banquet hall. and again when he rose
to speak, has never been surpassed by
the welcome given any public man in
the history of this city. Each of the
loo banqueters paid $3.50 for the
privilege of attending. but the bal
comics of the hall were free to the pub
lie, and long before the speaking be-
gan standing room in the hall was at
a premium.
Secretary Taft's speech was a gen
eral defense of the Republican party
and especially of the policies brought
to the fore by the administration of
Theodore Roosevelt In eulogizing
Lincoln, the speaker said that Lincoln
was party man, "as all men must be
who expect TO leave their individual
Impress upon the political character
of the nation" Speaking of the recent
panic and the Presidents late special
message to Congress, the secretary
said:
THE message contains an answer to
the charges made that the administra-
ton is responsible for the Industrial
depression and the sharpness and en-
phasis with which this unfounded at
tack is met have heartened the great
body of the people as bugle call to
renewed support of the administra-
tion.
From beginning TO end the message
shows his earnest desire to protect the
honest business man and the honest
laborer, and to secure to them the pos
sibility of living under the equal ad-
ministration of the law"
Secretary Taft referred to abuses by
corporations and declared that a con
viction had seized the people that
there were many engaged in the man.
agement of corporation wealth who re-
garded the statutes as dead letters and
themselves as a privileged class. 1--WE
were passing into a regime of an ir-
responsible plutocracy," said he. Dur
ing the last four years there has been
great moral awakening to this dan
ger among the people and a popular
demand that the law breakers-no
matter how wealthy or how high or
powerful their position-shall be made
TO suffer. Under the leadership of
theodore Roosevelt, the Republican
party has not faltered in its determine
uon to meet the requirements of this
situation and tn enact such legislation
as may be necessary to bring to a
close this period of illegal corporate
immunity"
There are those who have been
members of the Republican party who
differ with Mr.. Roosevelt in respect
to the proper course to be taken in
stamping out these abuses of corpor-
ate wealth. The great bulk of the Re
publican party, however, stands solidly
at his back in the work which he and
the representatives of the party in
Congress are doing"
In concluding, Secretary Taft said:
vigorous action and measures to
stamp out existing abuses and effect
reforms are necessary to vindicate So
ciety as at present constituted. Other
wise We must yield to those who seek
to introduce a new order of things on
socialistic basis.
The Republican party follows the
administration upon this social and
moral re1orm-approves its attitude in
laVor or vested rights, of maintaining
the power OF the courts, of rendering
more equal by legislation the basis of
ueailng between employer and en-
pioye, or strengthening the regulative
power over corporations, and of prose-
cutting those 1awbreakers who continue
to defy public opinion. Roosevelt leads
MS party as Lincoln led his-as Nc
hinley led his-to meet the new is
sues, TO arm our present civilization.
and ft 1t with bold front to resist
the attacks of Socialism, and to trans
mt to the coming generations un-
harmed the great institution of civil
liberty inherited from our fathers"