The Washington herald., 1908-02-11
TAFT DEPENDS CHIEF
Tells Kansas City Hearers of
ROOseVelt's Deeds.
ESPECIALLYPRAISEs RATE LAW
Declares Railroad Men should Rise
Tn Rnd cali Blessed" Man Who -
Responsible for LegisIatiOn-Ile-
ccpti0n Develops Into Interstate
Aaair-ConventioB Hall Crowded.

Kansas City, Feb. IQ-Secretary Taft
vigorously defended and iudorsed the
Roosevelt administration in his speech
before the Association OF Young Republi-
cans of Missouri n Convention Hail
His speech was in part, as follows:
During the present administration. the
Republican party has been called again
TO meet a great national need and to
save the country from d growing danger
In the enormous industrial development
and the accumulation Of capital due 10
the combination in corporate form Of the
wealth of the country. there have arisen
abuses which have threatened to under
mine our whole business fabric. The in
tense desire for gain, stimulated by the
prospect Of enormous profits. produced a
reckless spirit with reference to the meth
DDS of acquisition. Official Investigations
have disclosed a lack Of business integ-
rity on the part Of some charged in
fduciary capacity, with the custody and
management OF great accumulations Of
capital
Public is Suspicious.
"The fact that the interstate commerce
law was violated with perfect impunity
became known 10 the public at large, and
a conviction seized the people that there
were many engaged in the management
of corporate wealth who regarded the
statutes of their country as dead letters
and themselves as privileged class.
Their corrupting indlence in politics. and
in State and national legislation was nat
uraHy becoming greater and greater as
their wealth grew and their associations
spread We were passing into q region
of an irresponsible plutocracy.
During the last four years there has
been a great moral awakening to this
danger among the people, and popular
demand that the law-breakers-no matter
how wealthy or high or powerful their
positions-shall be made TO suffer.
Under the leadership Of Theodore
Roosevelt. the Republican party has not
faltered in its determination TO meet the
requirements of this situation. and TO en-
act such legislation as may be necessary
to bring to a close this period Of ille-
gitimate corporate immunity.
Effect of Rate Bill.
AT the ms lnce of the President Con-
gress was called upon TO pass an amend
ment TO the interstate commerce law,
known as the rate bill. What has been
the effect Of the rate bill? Every one who
knows anything about the management
of railroads knows that there has been
a revolution in respect 10 their obedience
TO the law.
No longer are so-called privileges
granted to the forme, and no longer are
secret rebates extended to build up the
Of the trusts
THE railroads are operating within the
law, and the railroad directors and Off !
GERS and stockholders ought 10 rise up
and call blessed the men who are re-
sponsibIe for the passage Of the rate bill
It may be that it has not reduced rates
where it was expected. 1t may be that
it has not furnished local relief. as il !
was hoped. at various points, but it has
put the railroad business in this country
on an honest basis and eliminated from
the operation of the railroads. privilege
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