Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-09-05
HUGHES FIRES
OPENING GUN

is Dlnulng as 10 what IL Omfts as
well as to what II contain7."
He might have added It is Just
as significant in one case as In tha
other. Lincoln said, 'In the absence
of formal written platforms, the an
tecedents of candidates become
their platforms" and It may also be
said that in the presence of formal
written platforms, &he antecedenta
can not be forgotten. Silence Is
Dften eloquent. In the election this
fall we choose men, not distractions
Platforms must be read in the light
o. history and may be eloquent OF
past mistakes and misguided agitn-
tions which their sponsors gladly
ignore but which the nation will do
well to remember
The country needs man of
rock, based in sound conviction and
fundamental principle, In whose
good judgment in any dlfflculty all
may feel secure and such mat
prominently is William II. Taft.
Election of Senators.
Some questions which are dis
cussed with no little vlgor can hardly
be considered campaign Issues.
Bryan desires that United States
senators be chosen by direct vote.
Taft also inclines to favor this
course. This can be accomplished
by constitutional amendment, and
as long as there are ~ states who
do not desire the amendment. the
constitutional provision for the cleo
tlon by the legislators can not be
changed.
Again Bryan objects to the pres
ent rules OF the house OF representa-
tives. How to make the procedure
OF nearly 400 members more fully
deliberative and at the same time
make provision for the proper dis
patch of business is a question which
parl may discuss TO ad-
vantage.
Publicity Act.
In the state OF New York. the Re-
publican legislature In 1906 passed
a statute prohibiting corporations
from making political contributions
directly or indirectly. And / know
of no more drastic statute In the
country with regard to the publicity
OF campaign contributions and for
the prevention OF corrupt practices
than that passed in New York nnder
Republican auspices.
Tariff Revision.
Both parties demand revision OF
the tariff but diner In the principle
and aim OF such revision. The Re-
publican party stands for the policy
OF protection and maintains a histor-
ic position in the defense of Ameri-
can standards OF living and OF Amer
lean scales of wages.
The Democratic party seeks, as
Bryan construes the platform, To
overthrow protection and establish a
revenut tariff threatening the dislo-
eaton OF trade and the most serious
disturbance of Industry. 1t seeks
not tariff revision but tariff reyolu-
tlon.
Magician Bryan.
Again the magician OF 1896 waves
his wand. The delusion of 1908 is
comparable only to that OF IL years
ago.
The hr7t suggestion is that the
law should prevent the duplication
OF directors among competing cor
porations Il Law were passed pre-
venting the duplication OF directors
It would easily be evaded in the se-
lection OF men who would represent
the same interelts Whatever ad-
vantage such law as proposed
would be. Il hardly rises to the dig
nifty of a remedy"
But a more important proposal Is
"that any manufacturing or radins
engaged In interstate commerce be
required to take out a federal license
before 1t shall be permitted TO con-
troll as much as 25 per cent OF the
product with which Il deals"
License Is permission and the OBJ
ject OF the remedy is not to regulate
large businesses but 20 destroy
trusts. Hence. the supposed effie-
iency OF the plan is TO be found In
the prohibition OF the control By
such a corporations" OF more than
SO pere cent OF the total amount OF
any product consumed in the United
States" This Is another delusion OF
ratio.
If we adopt Bryan's proposal, to