The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1909-03-04
TAFT'S
! INAUGURAL
ADDRESS
Outlines Policy Of
Administration.
PRAISE FOR ROOSEVELT
Speech Begins With Advocacy
Of Predecessors Reforms.
MANY QUESTIONS TOUCHED.
incoming Presidents Ideas on
Trusts and Other Matters.
MANY QUESTIONS TOUCHED.
incoming Presidents Ideas on
Trusts and Other Matters.

Ny Fellow Citizens-Any one who
takes the oath I have just taken must
feed heavy weight OF responsibility.
IL not, he has no conception Of the
powers and duties Of the Office upon
which he IL about to enter or he is
lacking In q proper sense Of the obliga-
tion which the oath imposes.
The Office of an inaugural address Is
to give summary outline Of the main
policies Of the new administration 30
had the honor to be one of the ad-
visers Of my distinguished predecessor
and as such to hold up his hands in
the reforms he has initiated. should
be untrue to myself, to my promises
and to the declarations of the party
platform upon which was elected to
ONCE II / did not make the mainte
nance and enforcement Of those re-
forms a most important feature Of my
administration. They were directed to
the suppression Of the lawlessness and
lions Of capital invested in railroads
and In Industrial enterprises carrying
on terstate commerce. The Steps
wi my predecessor took and the
u Btton passed on his recommends
tiOl have accomplished much, heve
caused a general halt In the vicious
policies which created popular alarm
and have brought about in the bust
ness affected a much higher regard for
existing law.
Further Action Needed.
To render the reforms lasting, how
ever, and to secure at the same time
freedom from alarm on the part Of
those pursuing proper and progressive
business methods further legislative
and executive action are needed. Re-
lief of the railroads from certain re-
stractions Of the antitrust law have
been urged by my predecessor and will
be urged by me. On the other hand,
the administration is pledged to legis-
lation looking to a proper federal su-
pervision and restriction to prevent ex-
cessive issues Of bonds and stocks by
SO1b6u&c6 OWu4uB 6Ao ORcAoAAb6 AhS~A
state commerce railroads.
Then, too, a reorganization Of the de-
partment Of justice, Of the bureau OF
corporations In the department Of COM
meFce and labor and Of the interstate
commerce commission looking to e6ec-
tive cooperation Of these agencies Is
needed to secure a more rapid and Ger.
80 khn
ing interstate railroads and industrial
combinations.
I hope to be able to submit at the
nrst regular session Of the incoming
congress In December next definite
suggestions In respect to the needed
amendments to the antitrust and thu
interstate commerce law and thu
changes required In the executive de
partments concerned in their enforce
ment.
@cood and Bad Trusts"
1t 10 believed that with the change
to be recommended American bust
ness can be assured Of that measure o
stability and certainty in respect t
those things that may be done AM
those that are prohibited, which i
essential to the life and growth O
all business. Such a plan must includ
the right Of the people to avail them
selves Of those methods of combining
capital and effort deemed necessary I
reach the highest degree of economi
efficiency, at the same time different
Ating between combinations base
upon legitimate economic reasons an
those formed with the intent Of crea
ing monopolies and artifcialfy contro
ling prices.
The work Of formulating into pra'
tical shape such changes is creatiy
work Of the highest order and require
al the elaboration possible in the II
terval. believe that the amendment
to be proposed are just as necessary
the protection of legitimate business {
In the chnching Of the reforms whic
properly bear the name Of my pred
csasor.
RsvIsion Of the Tariff.
A matter Of most pressing impo
lance is the revision Of the tariff.
accordance with the promises Of Il
platform upon which was elected,
thaN call congress into extra sessio