The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-08-14
W. / Bryan Did Not Decline;
Takes Place at Ticket Head
TELLS THE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE THAT HE
WILL RUN, ALL RIGHT.
Announces Himself in Hearty Accord With Platform;
Roasts Republicans and Tells People What
He Would Do If Elected.

of predatory wealth-of the wealth &C
cumulated on giant scale by all forms
of iniquity, ranging from the oppres
sion Of wage earners to unfair and I'm
wholesome methods Of crushing on
competition, and to defrauding the
public by stock jobbing and the manip
ulation of securities. Certain wealthy
men of this stamp, whose conduc
should be abhorrent to every man Of
ordinarily decent conscience, and who
commit the hideous wrong Of teaching
our young men that phenomenal bust
ness success must ordinarily be based
on dishonesty, have, during the last
few months, made it apparent that
they have banded together to work fol
reaction. Their endeavor Is tt
overthrow and discredit all who hon
estly administer the law, to prevent
any additional legislation which would
check and restrain them, and to secure
If possible, a freedom from all re
straint which win permit every un
scrupulous wrong-doer to do what he
wishes unchecked, provided he has
enough money."-What an arraignment
Of the predatory interests!
Is the presidents Indictment truei
And, if true, against whom was the
Indictment directed? Not against the
Democratic party.
Mr.. Taft Endorses the Indictment.
Mr.. Taft says that these evils have
crept in during the last ten years. He
declares that, during this time, some
prominent and influential members
Of the community, spurred by financial
success and in their hurry for greater
wealth, became unmindful of the com.
mon rules Of business honesty and
fidelity, and Of the limitations imposed
by law upon their actionsv' and that
''the revelations Of the breaches of
trusts, the disclosures as to rebates
and determinations by railroads, the
accommodating evidence Of the viola
tions Of the antitrust laws, by a num-
Der Of corporations, and the over-issue
of stocks and bonds Of Interstate rail-
roads for the unlawful enriching of di-
rectors and for the purpose OF concen-
trating the control of the railroads un.
der one management,"--all these, he
charges, "quickened the conscience of
the people, and brought on a moral
awakening" a ,r -afeo j.,
During all this time, beg to remind
you, Republican, officials presided in the
executive department, filed the cab
met dominated the senate. controlled
the house Of Representatives and occu-
pied most of the federal judgeships.
-Four years ago the Republican plat
form boastfully declared that since
.1S60-with the exception of two years
the Republican party had been in con.
troll of. part or Of all the branches of
the federal government; that for two
years only was the Democratic party in
position to either enact or repeal
law. Having drawn the salaries; hav-
ing enjoyed the honors; having secured
the prestige, let the Republican party
accept the responsibility! rou III s.
Republican Party Responsible. 3
Why were these known abuses"
permitted to develop? Why have they
not been corrected? If existing laws
are sufficient, why have they not been
enforced? All Of the executive ma
chinery of the federal government is
in the hands of the Republican party.
Are new laws necessary? Why have
they not been enacted? With Re-
publican president to recommend, with
a Republican senate and house to carry
out his recommendations, why does the
Republican candidate plead for further
time in which to do what should have
been done long ago? Can Mr.. Taft
promise to be more strenuous In the
prosecution of wrong-doers than the
present executive? Can he ask for
larger majority in the senate than his
party now has? Does he need more
Republicans in the house Of represent
atives or speaker with more unlim-
tied authority.
Why No Tariff Reform?
The presidents close friends have
been promising for several years that
he would attack the iniquities Of the
tariff. We have had intimation that
Mr.. Taft was FESTIVE under the de-
mands Of the highly protected in
dustries. And yet the influence Of the
manufacturers, who have for twenty
five years contributed to the Republican
fund, and who in return
have framed the tariff schedules, has
been sufficient to prevent tariff reform.
AS the present campaign approached,
both the president and Mr.. Taft de-
clared in favor Of tariff revision, but
Set the date Of revision after the cleo
ton. But the pressure brought to bear
by the protected interests has been
great enough to prevent any attempt at
tariff reform before the election; and
The reduction promised after the cleo
hon is SO hedged about with qualify
Ing phrases, that no one can estimate
with accuracy the sum total Of tariff
reform to be expected In case Of Re-
publican success. If the past can be
taken as guide, the Republican party
will be 30 obligated by campaign con-
tributions from the beneficiaries of pro-
lection, as to make that party power
less to bring to the country any ma
terial relief from the present tariff
burdens