The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-04-03
republicans leaders.

among republicans leaders.
He has not secured any tariff
reform and yet he has been In office
for over seven years. He has not Sc
cured the enactment of the neces-
eary labor legislation. He has not
secured an income tax and the re-
publican senators forced him into a
compromise on the railroad question.
But even a good platform would be
worthless without a candidate who
embodied the spirit of the platform
And what candidate have they?
Th epresident has picked out Sec
retary Taft and given him the sup
port of the administration. He has
no record as a reformer, and his
speeches-do not indicate a definite
purpose or a courageous program.
In fact, the widespread reform senti-
ment among the republican masses
is not reflected to any considerable
extent among republican leaders.
What does Secretary Taft stand
for? What does he denounce as
wrong? What does he propose as a
remedy?
What would he do with TIE trusts?
He tells us that he would not ex-
terminate them, but simply regulate
them
What reform does Secretary Taft
propose for the benefit Of labor? The
laboring men insist that they are en-
titled to trial by jury; but Secretary
TAFT went all the way to Oklahoma
to flnd fault with a provision in the
Oklahoma constitution securing this
protection to the laboring men.
What relief does Secretary Taft
propose to give US from the burdens
d which Imperialism hss imposed upon
! the country?
J The appropriation for the army and
navy has increased more than a hun
dre1 millions year since we enter
ed upon our colonial experiment Our
army is more than twice as large
as 1t was III 1895, and we are still de-
ny1ng the Philippine islands the doc
tsine set forth in the declaration Of
Independence, thai governments derive
1heir just powers from the consent
iof the governed.
What is Secretary Taft going to
do on the railroad question?
In one speech he took occasion to
explain that the president was not
responsible for rate reduction; this
would indicate that Secretary Taft
does not favor rate reduction. Is he
in favCr of Authorizing the interstate
commerce commission to ascertain
the present Ealue of the railroads
Is he willing to prevent the future
issue of wasered stock? Does he
urge reduction in freight and pas
senger rates, wherever and wherever
such reduction can be made without
injustice to honest investments? He
has. given no assurance ON these ques-
tlons, and We must judge what he
would do by what he now says or
fails to say If when he is trying
to secure the support of reform re-
pub1icans, he is so eYaBive on the
subject, what could We expect OF
him II he were electeds
Does Secretary Taft favor the IA
tioRal incorporation OF railroads, as
suggested by the president? Would
he favor a law withdrawing from
the states their control over railways
and vesting exclusive control In the
federal government? And If he favors
national Incorporation would he be
in favor OF giving the railroads a
perpetual franchise and a perpetual
guarantee of income? II not will he
explain why he will be more unjust
to the Filipinos than "a the people
OF his own country?
what chance of reform is there
at the hands Of republican leaders
vino take the side Of corporations
against the people and act upon the
Theory that Inducements must be held
out to capital, no matter how great
the burdens imposed upon the pEo-
ducers of wealth." asked Mr.. Bryan
in conclusion.
There is no doubt that the masses
of the people republican and demo
cratic are in favor of reform We can
only way in which we can convince
democratic party will be true to rea.
reform, victory is assured and the
only way in which we can U1nvince the
public that we honestly desire to
administer the government in behalf
of the people is to give them an
honest platform, employ honest argu-
ments and conduct a campaign by
honest methods and through an hon
est organization"