The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-08-12

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and determinations by railroads, the
accumulatlng evidence Of the viola
tions Of the antitrust laws, by a num-
ber of corporations, and the over.issue
of stocks and bonds of interstate rail-
roads for the unlawful enrichlng OF di-
rectors and for the purpose Of concen.
trating the control of the railroads un-
der one management."-all these, he
charges, "qulckened the conscience Of
the people and brought on moral
awakening"
During all this time beg to remind
you, Republican officials presided in the
executive department. filed the cab
| met, dominated the senate, controlled
| the house of representatives and occu-
| pied most of the federal iudgeshlps.
| -Four years ago the Republican plat
| form boastfully declared that since
1S60-with the exception Of two years
the Republican party had been in con.
troll Of part or Of all the branches of
the federal government; that for two
years only was the Democratic party in
position to either enact or repeal a
| law. Having drawn the salaries: hav-
Ing enjoyed the honors; having secured
the prestige, let the Republican party
| accept the responsibility!
Republican Party Responsible.
Why were these 'linown abuses"
permitted to develop? why have they
not been corrected? If existing laws
are sufficient, why have they not been
| enforced? All of the executive ma
chlnery of the federal government is
IN the hands of the Republican party,
Are new laws necessary? Why have
they not been enacted? With n Re
| publican president to recommend, with
Republican senate and house to carry
| out his recommendations, why does the
Republican candidate plead for further
time in which to do what should have
been done long ago? Can Mr.. Taft
promise to be more strenuous in the
prosecution of wrong-doers than the
I present executive? Can he ask for
larger majority in the senate than his
party now has? Does he need more
Republicans I'm the house of represent
/, atives or speaker with more unlim-
tied authority.
Why No Tariff Reformi
The presidents close friends have
been promising for several years that
he would attack the iniquties of the
tariff. We have had intimatlon that
Mr.. Taft was restive under the de-
mands of the highly protected in
dustrles. And yet the influence of the
manufacturers, who have for twenty.
five years contributed to the Republican
campaign fund, and who in return
have framed the tariff schedules, has
been sufficient to prevent tariff reform.
As the present campaign approached.
both the president and Mr.. Taft de-
Jared In favor of tariff revision, but
set the date of revision after the cleo
ton. But the pressure brought to bear
by the protected interests has been
great enough to prevent any attempt at
tariff reform before the election; and
the reduction promised after the cleo
tlon is so hedged about with qualify
Ing phrases, that no one can estimate
with accuracy the sum total of tariff
reform TO be expected In case of Re.
publican success. If the past can be
taken az n guide, the Republican party
Will be so Obligated by campaign con
tributions from the benehciaries of pre-
lection, as to make that party power
less to bring to the country any ma
teria relief from the present tariff
burdens.
Why No Antitrust Legislation?
A few years ago the Republican lead
ers In the house of representatives
were coerced by public opinion into
the support of an antitrust law which
had the endorsement of the president,
but the senate refused even to con-
no effort has been made by the domi-
nant party to secure remedial legisla-
tlou upon this subject.
Why No Railroad '-esislation7
For ten years the Interstate Com
merce Commission has been asking for
an enlargement of its powers, that it
might prevent rebates and discrimina-
tions, but n Republican senate and a
Republican house of representatives
were unmoved by It's entreatles. In
1000 the Republican national conven-
tlon was urged to endorse the demand
for railway legislation, but its platform
was silent on the subject Even in
1904 the convention gave no pledge to
remedy these abuses. When the presi-
dent finally asked for legislation he
drew his inspiration from three Demo
cratic national platforms and he re-
celyed more cordial support from the
Democrats than from the Republicans.
The Republicans in the senate deliber-
ately defeated several amendments Of
ferred by Senator la Toilette and sup
ported by the ocrats-amendments
embodying legislation asked by the In
terstate Commerce Commission. One
Of these amendments authorized the
ascertainment of the value of rail
roads. This amendment was not only
defeated by the senate, but 1t was over
whelmingly rejected by the recent Re-
publican national convention, and the
Republican candidate has sought to res
cue his party from the disastrous re-
suits OF this act by expressing him
self, In a qualified way, in favor of
apn ,tol l,,i,, I,,.o