The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1908-07-02


port signed by himself alone. Fiftytwo
members of the committee signed the
majority report and one signed the min
ority report The Republican party Will
find the ratio of ffty-two to one very
embarrassing one to deal with in the com
ing campaign. Mr.. Coopers report con-
tanned declaration in favor of pnblici'
ty az to campaign funds. 1t was lost by
vote of $50 to "a, more than nine to
one, and vet the president has been ad-
vocating legislation in favor of publicity
as to campaign contributions, and Secre-
tary Taft wrote letter to Mr.. Burrows
advocating the passage of publicity
bill. How fortunate il was that Secre-
tary Tatts letter was finally discovered
and published Senator Burrows, the
man to whom the Taft letter was ad.
dressed, was the temporary chairman OF
the convention, and the convention over
which he presided turned down the pub
licity plank by vote of nine to one
Who will deny that, on this subject the
republican party is retreating?
Another plank of the LaFollete plat
form authorized the ascertaining of the
value Of the railroads. This plank was
lost by vote of 9l7 to 63- nearly fit.
teen to one-and yet President Roose-
welt has advocated this very proposition
Here is a retreat on the railroad ques-
tiOu.
In another column reference is made
to the Injunction plank. The injunc.
ton plank adopted by the republican
convention is u retreat taken by the pres
ident and from the position taken by
Secretary Taft in his speeches, although
neither OF them went AZ far AZ they
ought to have gone in their effort to
prevent what is known IA government
by injunction. Here is third retreat.
The president has advocated the in
come tax rs ~ means Of preventing
swollen fortunes and of eQualizng the
burdens Of government. The republican
platform is silent on the subject. Was
the president right in the position he
| took? If so then the convention was
wrong in not endorsing him. Will the
republican voters follow the president
in this lust demand or will they follow
the republican organization in retreat
ing from it?
The president advocated an inherit,
ance tax, but the republican convention
is silent on that subject. Was the pres
ident ahead Of the republican party in
advocating this reform, or has the re.
publican party receded from the presi-
dents position? Did the president give
false alarm on this question or has the
party sounded n retreat?
In the presidents message to congress
last spring he presented an indictment
against the conspiracy formed among
the great lawbreakers to prevent the en-.
| forcement Of the law and TO evade the
punishments provided by law. The
platform adopted by the republican con
vention contains no intimation of dang
err. If there are any cunsplraCies the
convention did not see them; if there
are any combinations, it had not heard
Of them; if there are any dangers ahead
| it was unconscious of them. Was the
president mistaken when he issued his
defiance or are the republican managers
deceived when they think that an arous.
ed public will calmly contemplate the
encroachments of predatory wealth.
| This IL retreat number six
The convention, by vote Of $50 to III
more than seven to one voted down
the plank in favor of the popular cleo
ton of United States senators. 1t il
true that the president and Secretary
Taft have never advocated the popular
election of senators. They seem to take
the Hamltonian rather than the Jelfer.
sonian view, but the most popular re
form in the United States today ia the
reform that has for its object the cleo
ton Of United States senators by direct
vote 1t has five times been endorsed
by the national house of representatives
three times when the house Of repre-
sentatives was republican. 1t has been
endorsed by nearly two.thirds Of the
states Of the union, and there IL probab
| ly not state in the union in which il
would not be endorsed at a popular el
ection and yet in spite Of the record
made in the house Of representatives and
by the various states, this reform is re
iected by seven to one vote in repub
lican national convention.
Here are seven propositions upor
which the republican party, in uationa
convention assembled, has retreatet
from the position taken by that party il
congress or from the position taken b,
the president What have Roosevelt
republicans to say The president hal
awakened spirit of reform within hi,
party, be has at least revealed to tn,
world that there are reformers in the re
publican party. Can that spirit now b,
qpelled by stand pat convention2 Mil
lions of pnblieana baya anliatad az III,