The Washington times., 1908-09-27
Secretary of Commerce and
Labor Talks at Opening of
9. 0. P. Campaign Here.
PICKS FLAWS IN
GUARANTEE LAW
Treasurer Treat Says Finance Plank
IN Denver Platform Is Only
Heresy to Get Votes.

Amid the strains Of martial music
from the fife and drum Of battle-scarred
veterans, the Interstate Republicans
headquarters at 6l5 Fifteenth street
We're opened last night for campaign
purposes with able addresses by two OF
the representative members Of the ma
tional administration. Secretary Straus.
OF Commerce and Labor, and Charles II.
Treat, Treasurer Of the United States.
and also by former Senator Marion But
Ter OF North Carolina.
Henry N Camp, in charge Of the
headquarters as the representative Of
the Republican national committee,
called the assembage 10 order and in
troduced 2. II. Warner. who presided.
Secretary Straus opened the oratorical
pyrUtechnics with the first speech ne
has delivered in the campaign. He lost
but little time in reaching pay dirt in
his discussion Of the issues Of the cam
paign.
1T is rather remarkable that the
ablest defender Of Bryan IS Richard
Olney. who won great distinction as a
member Of Mr.. Cleveland's Cabinet
said Mr.. Straus, occupying successive
ly the two most important positions,
tary OF State.
Prosecuted WOrkingmen.
Notwithstanding the fact that Mr.
Olney was Attorney General from March
8. 1898, to June :, 1895. the only cases
brought under the antitrust law were
cases brought against workingInen.
There were, during Cleveland's entire
administration, nineteen indictments for
rFfan-
tions on these. Under President Roose-
velt's administration there have been
l26 indictments, with thirty-four convic-
uons, and seventy-four cases still pend
ing"
Secretary Straus evoked considerab BILE
applause by comparing Bryan with
Julius Caesar, with the difference, he
said, that thrice the people offered the
crown to julius, and thrice he refused
II. while Bryan has thrice endeavOred
TO take the crown from the people, and
is destined to be thrice denied.
When Mr.. Bryan was a member Of
Congress-. continued the Secretary,
his name was not connected with any
Law for the benefit Of labor On the
contrary, when the glass men, headed
by Mr.. Campbell the head Of their
union, called upon him To favor their
cause. he turned them away with the
answer that they were public beg
gars'
For my part, as the official head Of
the department that is charged with
administering the laws for the benefit
Of capital and labor. my heart is always
with the laboring man; the capitalist
can take care Of himself
What Roosevelt Has Done.
THE President has done much TO Sc
cure the redress OF the justified griev-
ancos of the laboring man. and il fol
lows that to Judge Taft alone can the
people look 10 carry out this policy.
Olney only brought actions against la
Dor unions while Attorney General;
President Roosevelt has brought none
against any but corporations"
Secretary Straus declared that the
crowninE purpose Of the Roosevelt Ad-
ministratiOn was to keep tie highways
of opportunity open 20 all the people Of
the land. He declared that the people
should actually rule, and decried the
claim OF BRYAN that Government owner
ship Of public utilities or the guarantee
ing Of bank deposits had any se1nblance
Of popular sovereignty. but smacloed
more OF the policy of the Czar-ruleG
Russia.
He declared that the proposition to
guarantee the bank deposits was the
most unDUsiness-hke proposition ever
projected upon n people.
I'm fact" he continued, "aIl of Bry-
ans policies are but hollow shams and
calculated to uprOOt the conservative
, business systems OF the country
Secretary Straus was sarcastic in his
references to the Oklahoma bank that
has been injected into the campaign as
a shining example" of the success OF
the guarantee proposition.
Haskell From Oklahoma.
Many strange things happen in Okla
homa." he said. Haskell comes from
Oklahoma. you know" The Secretary
went into a detailed explanation of just
what did happen 10 the Oklahoma bank,
and charged that the incident had the
appearance Of having been pulled of
for the purpose Of affOrding Bryan an
opportunity to parade the case before
the public.
At the conclusion Of his address, Sec
retaTy Straus was given an ovation by
the audience which filled the quarters
TO the doors.
United States Treasurer Charles II.
Treat followed Secretary Straus with a
clear and concise exposition OF the na-
tionai banking laws Of the country. and
also entered into a discussion Of the
guarantee proposition advanced by Mr.
Bryan, which. he said, is now a burn
ing question in the West, and is com.
ing fast TO the East.
There Is already the very strongest
possible guarantee Of bank deposits" ."
said Mr.. Treat. "a guarantee that comes
from the operation of laws that have
been enacted by Republicans over the
continued opposition of the Democrats,
who have always fought bitterly the
national banks of the country"
Mr.. Treat created a diversion BY stop
ping in the middle OF his speech and
opening a Tound-table discussion OF the
banking business. by inquiring if any
one in the audience desired 10 ask him
any questions. Several persons took ad-
NIGHT