The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1908-08-15

ehadowing issue which manifests Itself
IN all the questions now under discus
sion Il Shall the people ruler No
matter which way we turn; no matter
TO what subject we address ourselves,
me same question ccnfronts us: Shall
the people control their OWL govern
ment, and use that government for thu
protection OF their rights and for the
promotion OF their welfare? or shall
the Representatives Of predatory wealth
prey upon defenseless public, while
the offenders secure immunity from
subServient o6icials whom they raise
10 power BY INSCRIPTIONS methods?
This IL the issue raised by the known
abuses" to which Mr.. Taft refers.
Prssidsnt's Indictment Against the
Party.
In q message sent to congress last
January, President Roosevelt said:
The attacks by these great corpora
tons on the administration actions
have been given a wide circulation
throughout the country, In the news
papers and otherwise, by those writers
and speakers who, consciously or IN
consciously, act as the Representatives
OF predatory wealth-Of the wealth &C.
cumulated on a giant scale by all forms
OF iniquity, ranging from the oppres-
sion Of wage earners to unfair and IN
wholesome methods Of crushing out
competition, and to defrauding the
public by stock jobbing and the manip-
ulation Of securities. Certain wealthy
men Of this stamp, whose conduct
should be abhorrent to every man of
ordinarily decent conscience, and who
commit the hldeous wrong Of teaching
our young men that phenomenal busi-
ness success must ordinarily be based
on dishonesty. have. during the last
few months, made It apparent that
they have banded together to work for
overthrow and discredIt all who hon.
estly administer the law, to prevent
any additional legislation which would
check and restrain them, and to secure,
II possible, a freedom from all re-
straint which win permit every IN
scrupulous wrong-doer to do what he
wishes unchecked. provided he has
enough money."-What an arraignment
Of the predatory interestsl
Is the presidents indictment true7
And, II true, against whom was the
indictment directed7 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 actionsP' and that |
'-the revelations Of the breaches Of |
trusts, the disclosures as to rebates
and determinations by railroads, the |
accommodating evidence Of the viola
lions Of the antitrust laws, by a num-
Der OF corporations, and the over-issue
Of stocks and bonds Of Interstate ran
roads for the unlawful enriching Of d.
rectors and for the purpose Of eoncen-
trattng the control Of the railroads un-
Ter one management."-aIl these, be
charges, "quickened the conscience Of
The people and brought on q moral
awakening" Il
During all this time, I beg to remind
Tou, Republican officials presided IN the
executive department, filed the cab
net, dominated the senate, controlled
he house Of Representatives and occu-
lied most OF the federal judgeships.
Four years ago the Republican plat
'orm boastfully declared that since
S6o-with the exception Of two years
the Republican party had been In con-
rol Of part or Of all the branches Of
be federal government; that for two
ears only was the Democratic party In :
position to either enact or repeal a
aw. Having drawn the salaries; hav- ,
ng enjoyed the honors; having secured
be prestige, let the Republican party
ccept the responsibility
Republican Party Responsible.
Why were these Known abuses' [
ermitted to Develop Why have they
ot been corrected7 II existing laws
re sufficient why have they not been I
nforced2 All Of the executive ma {
hinery Of the federal government Is {
4 the hands Of the Republican party. 1
re new laws necessary Why have {
hey not been enacted7 With q Re I
ublican president to recommend, with [
Republican senate and house to carry (
ut bis recommendations, why does the
republican candidate plead for further
me In which to do what should have
cen done long ago7 Can Mr.. Taft I
romise to be more strenuous IN the :
rosecutiOn Of wrong-doers than the I
resent executive7 Can he ask for a 4
Irger majority In the senate than his Z
arty now hast Does be need more :
republicans IN the house Of represent !
dives or a speaker with more unltm- :
ed authority.
Why No Tariff Rsform7
The presidents close friends have q
zen promising for several years that 9