The sun., 1908-07-14
TAFT ON FEDERAL LICENSES
DOES NOT THINK DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM IDEA FEASIBLE.

'Faik at New Court House Opening.
Hot SPRINGS. Va. July 13.-Mr.' Taft is
opposed to the Federal licensing Of corpora
tions, proposed in the Democratic plat
form. That is evident from what he has
said to Republicans who have conferred
with him in regard to his speech Of ac-
ceptanoe. To one man who discussed this
plank With him Mr.. Taft said:
"An attempt to frame plank that will
accomplish two irreconoilable things 10
not instanced for the flrst time in the present
Democratic platform
The plank to which Mr.. Taft referred
advocates "a license system which will.
without abridging the right Of each State
ulate as 1t will foreign corporations doing
business within its limits, make 1t neces-
sary for manufacturing or trading cor
poration engaged in interstate commerce
TO take out a Federal license before It
ahall be permitted to control ss much as
rs per cent Of the product In which it
deals. the license to protect the public
from watered stock and to prohibit the
control by such corporation Of more than
80 per cent. Of the total amount Of any
product consumed in the United States
Apparently the irreoonoilable features.
as Mr.. Taft views the plank. are the prop
osition to have corporation strictly
amenable to forty-six different laws Of
forty six different States and at the same
time answerable to a rs per cent. Federal
license law. In effect somewhat the same
condition, however, seems to prevail under
the present interstate commerce law.
The Bryan licensing proposition differs
from that recently favored by President
Roosevelt: in that licensing under the Rooss-
welt plan was to be optional with the corpora
ton. II corporation filed full account
ing with the Federal Government and con-
vinced the Commissioner Of Corporations
that IL was not doing business in unrsa-
sonable restraint Of trade 1t was to be
licensed and to be free from prosecution
for reasonable restraint OF trade. In other
words, as the P7ehidsnt's supporters con-
tended, q premium was to be placed on
honesty and publicity and the line was to-
be drawn between the good and the bad
corporation.
Presumably this was one Of "my policies"
to which Mr.. Taft subscribed, but the can
didate's attitude toward the Denver propo-
sition would seem to indicate that he is not
strongly inclined toward the lieensing idea.
or at lsest he would go no further than to
make 10 optional. .. u.
A good many people who have talked
with Mr.. Taft down here expect him 70
mako some original suggestions in his
treatment Of the question "A his speech
Of acceptance. IL is known that many Of
the politicians with whom he has conferred
have urged on him the necessity Of dis
pelline the notion that he 10 merely voioing
the Roosevelt idsaA That Mr.. Taft will
assert his own strong individuality and
independent opinions In the coming speech
OF acceptance 10 oelaain. but at the same
time he will conNLue to stand In a general
way as representing the Roosevelt policies.
There is good reason to believe that Mr..
Taft will gay In effect that Mr.. Roosevelt
is to be honored for having awakened
the consciousness Of the nation TO the neoes-
sity Of honesty in business and that II
elected he will use every endeavor to have
placed on the statute books laws which,
while aiding legitimate business, will make
less possible dishonesty In corporation
affairs.
Mr.. Taft started to work to-day on his
speech Of acceptance. He spent prac-
italy the entire day studying the Demo-
cratic platform, and, strange to say. the
Republican platform too. 1t will take
Nim probably the rest Of the week to COM
plete his speech. and he will have no poti-
cal visitors. After il Ia completed. however,
he will summon most OF the leaders of the
party to Hot Springs to get their opinions
on 1t.
There is no doubt here that Mr.. Taft is
going TO challenge the Democratic party
to justify. II II can. the radicalism Of the
Denver platform. He Is going to set up the
issue OF destruotlveness on the one side
against constructiveness on the other.
There are some propositions In the Demo-
cratic platform on which Mr.. Taft's opinions
are we'll known. He has said as regards
injunctions that he believes no injunction
should be isaisd without due notice unless
irreparabio !ajury were In prospect. That
is what the Republican platform advocates
on the injunction question. Mr.. Taft In
his speech Of acceptance will undoubtedly
oppose the Democratic plank favoring
immediate Independence for the Filipinos
He has said that the Islanders wouldn't
be ready for self f-government at least for
generation.
In commenting on his speech Of accept
anoe to-day Mr.. Taft said:
II see THE Sun suggests that a formal
notification Is q work Of supererogation,
and as ! approach the work am inclined
to yield to that opinion"
Mr.. Taft was visited To-day by j. II.
McClintoc, chairman Of the Board of Super
yisors OF Bath county. and Lanier Dunn,
another Bath county Republican, who in
vited the candidate over to Bath Court
House to the opening OF the term next
Monday. The court house is at German
town, five miles from here. Mr.. Taft was
disinclined to accept the invitation. but
when Supervisor MoClintoc said that Bath
county had gone Republican twice against
Bryan Mr., Taft consented. He stipulated,
however, that they needn't expect political
speech from him. He would talk on the
administration Of justice by the COURTS
The speech is going TO commemorate the
opening Of the new court house.
Mr. Taft played golf to-day with George
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