River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-10-01
minneapolis
GREETS TAFT
A TREMENDOUS CROWD MEETS
REPUBLICAN, CANDIDATE
FOR PRESIDENCY.
The Auditorium Filled With An En-
thusiastic Concourse of People.
Large Overflow Meetings Held
Outside.

Minneapolis, Sept. 2S.-Choosing
Minneapolis as the place for its deliv-
cry, William Howard Taft, Republican
candidate for president, Saturday
night at the Auditorium in this city,
gave forth to the nation one of the
bold and important campaign pro-
nouncements of the year.
Handling without gloves his record
as a federal judge, in connection with
labor decisions handed down by him,
Mr.. Taft explained them and then
stoutly stated that the decisions had
been rendered in accordance with the
law and that was what the law ought
to be.
The big auditorium was filled to it's
capacity with an audience which was
quickly responsive and voiced it's ap-
prevail in hearty and spontaneous
cheers and in enthusiastic reception to
the candidate. 1t shouted when he
first appeared on the platform to take
his seat beside the senior senator,
Knute Nelson, and again roared it's en-
thusiasm when he arose to open his
address.
J. w. Nash, chairman of the Henne-
pin county central committee, presided
over the meeting and introduced Sen
ator Knute Nelson who introduced the
Republican candidate.
On either side of the speaker were
rows of distinguished Republicans
from ST. Paul and from Minneapolis
and the surrounding state, who had
some here to attend the Taft meeting.
Among them were Senator Moses
Clapp; J. F. jacobson, candidate for
governor, who was later to modestly
disappear from the stage when the
crowd called upon him vigorously for
speech; Congressman James A.
Tawney, Charles r. Davis, James T..
McCleary, Halvor Stevenson, Frank
Nye of Minneapolis, F. C. Stevens of
ST. Paul, G. B. Miller of Duluth and A.
J. Volstead and G. A. Lindberg of the
Seventh and Sixth districts respect
lively, all of the state officers were on
the stage, State Senators Edward E..
Smith, Ripley Brewer Of st. Cloud and
many others.
Introducing Mr.. Taft, Senator Mel
son said:
"Mr. Taft needs no Introduction to
this audience, yet in formally intro
ducing him, l must ask pardon for a
brief prelude to his remarks. Eleven
years ago last March, after Demo
cratic interregnum Of four years,
bringing disaster to the country, the
Republican party came into power
with that clear-headed statesman, Will
liam Mckinley in the executive chair.
His untimely death thrust his mantle
upon another great statesman, Theo-
dore Roosevelt, that energetic and Wig
liant statesman. Under the leader
ship and guidance of these two men,
the Republican party has given much
immediate and constructive 1egisla-
ton, solving many of the problems of
the day."
Mr.. Taft responded Immediately and
received hearty ovation. He
launched at once into his address. Mr..
Taft said:
1--WE had rather a tough time of it
y,
is bad and 1 am very hoarse. l have
been speaking in many places in sew
eral states and what is lacking in my
voice, you will find scattered over
those different states.
II understand that 1000 laboring
men have honored me with their pres
ence tonight and | think it is only fair
that l should take up the questions
supposed to be of particular import
ance to labor.
'ror the most part, laboring men
gro o'ear-heqded and intelligent and
am sure they are willing to listen to
al uIncnl. now no one man can de-
liver that labor vote to any one party
and no one man has the labor vote
in his vest pocket to deliver. I am
certain of that.
Among other remarkable records
made by the Republican party in the
last II years is a record on labor mat
tiers and affairs. No administration,
and I am willing to submit this state
ment to any labor leader in the coun-
try, has done so much for the cause of
labor as Theodore Roosevelt in the
seven years he has been in the execu-
tive chair.
1.-THE laboring men are not beggarS,
they are not paupers, but they are
seeking laws which shall abolish the
tendency of the common law to recog-
nize their right in the question of en-
ployers liability. The laboring man
is dependent upon his wages. He
needs to support his wife and family.
Must Have Wages.
"He must have them When he
works for an employer who does not
comply with the law of safety in en-
vironment, the laborer cannot quit his
position, although he knows that the
law is not being complied with. He
must have the wages to support his
family. But because he knew that de.
fects were there he should not be pre-
vented from securing damages, should
he be injured because of these de-
fects.
'The laboring man has the right to
ask from congress and the legislatures
of his states, such statutes as will
tend toward the establishing of deal.
ing on the level as between the pow
erful and the weak.
in the first place, I wish to af-
firm, without fear of contradiction,