Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1908-08-27


of the last Democratic administration
in 1893:
During this period" he said, 'it re-
pealed the Mckinley tariff bill passed
in 1890, and enacted the German Wilson
tariff bill of 1888. With the prospect
OF Democratic tariff for revenue and
under the operation of the German
Wilson tariff bill, subsequently passed,
period of industrial depression set in.
which continued through the next pres
idential campaign of 1896. The remedy
Tor this depression, as proposed by the
Democratic party under its present
leadership, was change from the gold
standard of currency and values, which
was the measure of all pecuniary obi
cations, to silver standard-a change
which would have scaled the debts of
all by quite so per cent, and would have
produced financial crash, in which the
business disaster would only have been
exceeded by the injury to our national
financial honor.
"As soon as the Republican party
came into power in 1897" he said, cit
repealed the German Wilson tariff bill
and enacted the present Dingley tariff
bill, and with the assurance of an honest
monetary standard confidence was re-
stored and a period of business expan-
sion and prosperity followed to an ex-
tent never before known in the history
of the world.
Wages were never higher" he de-
clared, "and the average standard of
living of the wage Garner, of the farm
ers, and of the business men in point of
comfort and of enjoyment of life was
advanced beyond precedent.
Attending this great prosperity.
abuses developed, growing out of the
dishonesty of some prominent men in
trusted with the management of the
business of others and of greed of f.
nancial power on the part of some,
stimulated by the enormous success in
cident to the combination of capital in
large corporations.
'The abuses" he said, "chiefly took
the form of the violation of the anti
trust law and in the granting of rebates
and determinations of railways to large
shippers. When the extent of these
evils was brought home to the people,
President Roosevelt evoked the atten-
tion of Congress and the public to them
and proceeded to enforce the laws then
on the statute books.
at was not" he said, until Mr..
Roosevelt, realizing to the full the dan
ger to which our society was exposed
unless the offending corporations, rail-
way and industrial, were made to obey
and fear the law, took vigorous action
in the recommendation of new legisla-
ton, and in the enforcement of the old,
that anything very effective was done
to check the growing evil"
The Republican Congress which had
been elected with Roosevelt in 1904, Mr..
Taft said, made a record for remedial
legislation along the lines recommended
by the President, which, as he has said
himself, has never been equaled in our
time. Mr.. Taft referred to the railway
rate bill, the bill creating the bureau Of
corporations, the pure-food bill, and the
meat inspection bill, most of which he
declared encountered the open, bitter
opposition of all corporations and failed
Of passage in the previous Congress. In
spite of continued opposition, they were
finally enacted into law.
What has been the result of this leg
islation and executive action7" he ask
ed. "Secret rebates and unlawful dis.
ordinations have been actually abolish
ed. No monopoly of business in any
line is now maintained by secret redue-
ton of freight rates to it which are de-
MED to competitors.
He declared that "the people have
ruled through the Republican party. /
have no hesitation in saying that not
since the beginning .of the government
has any other national administration
done so much for the cause of labor BY
the enactment of remedial legislation as
Theodore Roosevelt and the Republican
Congresses elected and sitting during
his term of office"
at is true" he said, "that additional
legislation is needed to perfect the ma
chinery for enforcing the principles laid
down by Mr.. Roosevelt, and declared in
the remedial statutes already passed
''The present Congress, he added"
"has reenacted the employers liability
act, has strengthened the safety ap-
pliance acts, has passed the govern
ment employees compensation act, has
directed investigations into mine disas-
ters, and has passed model child la
Dor bill. 1t has not amended the inter
state commerce law so as to prevent
overissue of stocks and bonds on inter-
state railroads, and it has not amended
the antitrust law as suggested by Mr..
Roosevelt"
Great care" he said, would be re-
quired in the enactment of additional
legislation and the fact that the Demo-