The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-04-10
Attorney General Wickersham Tells
Them Their Place on Boat in
His Speech at
Chicago
Open Revolt Against the Government
is More Dangerous to Nation
Than the Conservation
of Wealth.
Especial to The Gate CITY.


CHICAGO April 9.-Declaring that
the time has come for every republi-
can to choose whether or not he is
for the president and the republican
party, Attorney General Geo. w.
Wickersham tonight before the Ham
ilton club of this city, delivered a
stirring address in defense of the ad-
ministration of President Taft, and,
in effect told the insurgents" that
their proper place was outside the
party breastworks.
Treason" said he, has ever con-
sisted in giving aid and comfort to the
enemy. Ii anyone wishes to join the
democratic party let him do SO. But
let him not claim to be republican,
and in and out of season work to de-
feat republican measures and to sub
vert the influence of the republican
president"
I am firmly persuaded he said in
another part of his speech, that de-
spite the efforts of individuals to mag
Nifty their own particular Importance
at the expense of party loyalty and
party honor. the republican majority
in congress will make good the party
pledges and give the country the
benefit of that legislation which the
party has promised, and which the
president has so clearly and SO force
fully outlined.
What other administration ca.i
point to the accomplishment of so
much in SO short time? Is it not
time that all those who call them
selves republicans should stop coquet,
ting with the democratic party, should
sink their individual preferences
about details of legislation. and join
with republican workers in carrying
to fruition under our great, patient,
candid, wise, republican president the
work of clinching the reforms of the
past eight years on the lines so care
fully and so wisely laid down in the
platform of 1902"
The occasion was the celebration by
the club of Appomattox day. Without
attempting to draw too close an an
| alogy between the conditions which
! existed after the meeting between
/ Generals Grant and Lee on this day
45 years ago, and those confronting
Taft on his accession to office, the
/ speaker said that there were points of
/ similarity.
The danger from armed resistance
| to constituted authority" he said, lis
1 open and manifest, and is met by sim
pie, obvious methods The dangers to
free institutions arising from the con.
centration of great wealth and vast
power in few hands is far from in.
c dious than that arising from open
revolt against government, and meth
DDS by whicn those dangers may be
met and ayerted are less obvious and
more subject to misunderstanding
than work of resisting force by force
The work of framing and enacting
laws adequate TO the need, but not
injurious to the legitimate interests
of national enterprise and industry;
the daily work of administering these
| laws, and OF endeavoring to carry on
the great, increasingly complex busi-
ness of government without perpetual
/ turmoil and commotion. but none the
less efficiently and adequately, is far
, less attractive to spectacular imagin.
alton, and can only be done by men
who are content to endure misrep-
i resentation and misinterpretation of
j their acts, and to look to the future
rather than to the present for a vim
dication of their motives and justi-
\ fication of their deeds"
/ The attorney general referred to
/ the tariff bill as "a distinct step to.
4 ward lower scale of import duties, .
+ and said that il opened the door to a
/ free exchange OF commerce with the
I Philippines. He spoke approvingly OF
/ ions of the law and of the temperate
manner in which that powerful
1 weapon for the protection of American
/ commerce had been used He gave
1 credit to the president for having rec
/ commended the adoption of the cor
! poration tax and said that by this
perfectly legitimate and effective sys
/ ten of taxation federal supervision
! over the business transactions of the
corporations of the country would be
established, thus taking long step
/ forward that supervisory control OF
corporations which might prevent fur
the abuses of power.