Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-13
Taft Endorses Indictment

Mr.. Taft says that these evils have
crept in during the last ten years. lie
declares that, during this time, some
.surominent and influential members OF
the community, spurred by hnanclal
success and in their hurry Tor greater
wealth became unmindful OF the conf
mon rules of business honesty ana
fidelity, and of the limitations I'M
posed by law upon their actions" ana
that the revelations of the breaches OF
trusts. the disclosures as to rebates
and determinations by railroads, the
accommodating evidence OF the VIOLA
fions Of the antitrust laws Dy a NUM-
ner OF corporations, and the oVerlssue
Of stocks and bonds of interstate rail-
roads for the unlawful enriching of d.
rectors and for the purpose OF concen-
trating the control of the railroads UNI
der one management-all these, ne
charges, "quickened the conscience OF
the people and brought on moral
awakening"
Dllring all this time, beg to remind
YOU. Republican officials presided in
the executive department, filled the
cabinet. dominated the senate, con-
trolled the house of representatives and
occupied most of the federal judge
ships. Four years ago the Republican
platform boastfully declared that since
1y6O-with the exception of two years
the Republican party had been in
control of part or of all the branches
of the federal government; that for
two years only was the Democratic
party in q position to either enact or
repeal a law. Having drawn the sal
aries; having enjoyed the honors; hay
ing secured the prestige, let the Re-
publican party accept the RESPONSE
bilityl
our platform declares that the over
shadowfng issue which manifests itself
in all the questions now under dis.
cussion is, "Shall the people rule?"
No matter which way we turn; no
matter to what subject we address
ourselves, the same question confronts
us: Shall the people control tnelr own
government and use that government
for the protection of their rights and
for the promotion Of their welfare, or
shall the representatives of predatory
wealth prey upon a defenseless} public,
while the offenders secure immunity
from subservient officials whom they
raise to power by inscriptions meth
DDS? This is the issue raised by the
known abuses" to which Mr.. Tart
refers.
In a message sent to congress last
January President Roosevelt said;
"The attacks by these great corpora
lions 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 I'M
consciously, act as the representatives
of predatory wealth--of the wealth
accumulated on a giant scale by all
forms of iniquity, ranging from the
oppression Of wage arners to unfair
and unwholesome methods of crushing
out competition and to defrauding the
public by stock jobbing and the manip-
uiation of securities. Certain wealthy
men of this stamp, whose conduct
should be abhorrent to every man or
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 for a
reaction. Their endeavor is to over
throw and discredit all who honestly
administer the law, to prevent any ad-
ditional legislation which would check
and restrain them and to secure. If
possible, a freedom from all restraint
which will permit every Inscriptions
wrongdoer to do what he wishes I'M
checked, provided he has enough
money" What an arraignment of the
predatory interests!
Is the presidents Indictment true?
And IL true, against whom was the
Indictment directed? Not against the
Democratic party.