Evening journal., 1908-09-25
TAFT'S WORDS
TO THE FARMERS
Remind Them Of Benefits
That Come From Repub-
IiCan Party
DEMOCRATS' PROMISES
HAVE FAILED

In his speech at Brook. Indiana, on
Wednesday. William IT, Taft. discus
sing the benefits that have come TO tho
farmers OF the country under Re.
publican administrations. said in part:
you began your acquaintance with
Mr.. Bryan in 1893. He was then n
member OF the Houss Of Representa-
tives and Of the WAYS and Means Com
mittec Of that body. As such he was
very active in formulating and press
ing the Wilson tariff bin, and when II
was returned from tho Senate with GOO
amendments as the Wilson
tariff bill oe waE one af the foremost
in seeking an application OF the rules
Of the House 10 prevent 2 discussion
Of any Of the 600 amendments made
to the bill by the Senate. The rules Of
the House. which permitted the pass
age Of these amendments without dis
cussion, are those. the use OF which
in the present House Of Representa-,
tives. no and his party SO much de.
plore, as an evidence that the people
do not rule. Whether shs people ruled
or not when this bill was passed, Il is
certain tina. tho effect OF the COO amcnd-
inents was such as To make Mr. Cleve-
lard pronounce The b'u a p"ridy and
d,shonor This Fact. however, did not
prevent Mr.. Bryan fran great iuJi-
laDon when the bill passed. Tire cer-
tainty that the bin was going to pass
after the Democrat, success I'm Nuvem-
her preclpitated q panic cut OF a clear
sky, and the subsequent passage Of TIE
bill prostrated all Industries and
brought about four years memorable
in the history of this country as the
worst financial disaster il has ever seen
A greater percentage OF wage earners
were thrown out Of employment, ana
there were more failures ana business
suspensions than ever in the history OF
the country before.
what was the condition OF the
farmers in that period? Wheat went
down TO so cents a bushel. corn 10 p
cents, oats to IS cents and potatoes
10 % cents In 40 years farm prices
had never been as low. The farmers
we're struggling under debt. mortgages
were being foreclosed and the deplor-
able condition that existed at that time
among those who titled the soil in this
country will certainly never be forgot
ten by the sufferers.
Advised Repudation
What did Mr. Bryan propose as n
remedy for this? He urged the farm
ers Of tn q ountry who were groanins
under ver.V ieavy weight Of obligation
irat tse way out 20 producs rrosp"wty,
the way to do justice, was TO adopt the
free coinage of silver without inter.
national agreement and thereby reduce
| the 200. cent gold dollar TO a proper and
/ just silver dollar The pill was sugar
coated, but the advice was repudiation
and 1t had an allurins force. 1t was
vote-catching. as all reputation is Z
discouraged debtors So in 1896 h'
traversed the country tempting III
voters to sully the honor of the nation
and pay off half their obligations by
legislative fiat He profesed that un
les this was done wheat would be he
low so cents and that the condition o
the farmer would grow worse instead
of better. He was defeated. The homo
Of the country was saved. And ever
year Of the 70 which have succeedel
that campaign has produced TO tn
former lrrefutable evidence Of MI
Bryans failure as political ant
economic prophet.
"Mr. BRYAN is concerned because th
farmer is not looked aftei with prope
care by the Republican Administra
tion.
Party's Work For Farmers.
"There is no class in the communit
so much entitled to consideration a
the farmers. and that they have bee
given great consideration by the Re
publican Administration that establish
ed the Department Of Agriculture.
Is n Republican Administration tina
has developed the bureaus of the is
partment and improved the farming :
this country by scientific investigatio
and experiment in such a way that
am sure that the farmer of the countr
looks TO Secretary Wilson. with his dc
partment. as his friend and indispensa
BILE adviser.
1--WE spent something more than so
900 for the Department Of Agricu
ture. but the farmer is also Indirect
Interested in certain other expenditure
of the government. For instance. W
spent S87.O00,000 for rural free deliver
and It is the farming class that enjoy
the benefit of that impl ovement in q
postal service. which was opposed l
the Democratic party.
To-day the expenditures of the go'
ernment and the increase Of the civ
service are made the subject Of bitt
attack, when a large part of the II
crease complained of is in the Pos
Office Department In addition 20 ruv
delivery. the government is eNpendil
about $4,000. 900 IN the reclamation
arid lands. This adds to the agrict
tural wealth of the county and asss
the farmers who take advantage
IT,"