Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-10-04
REPUBLICAN PARTY
ONE OF PROGRESS
STATES PRES. TAFT
In Speech in New York the
President States That All
Republican Desires Will Soon
Be Carried Out

NEW YORK, Oct. president Taft
delivered what will probably be his only
public address of the present campaign
at the banquet of the National Republi-
can league at the Hotel Astor tonight
The presidents speech was marked by
an unusually concilatOry tone toward the
insurgent wing of the party. He gave
"all factions of the party" due credit for
their share in helping to put through con-
gress the legislative program which the
president took occasion to outline In some
detail. The record OF the past is months,
he declared, was an earnest of the desire
of the party to fulfill is platform prom
Uses and obligations, and he promised
that IL the Republican majority In con-
gress should be continued at the coming
elections. the work thus fxr left undone
would be carried through to completion.
Upon the whole Republican party the
president bestowed the title of progress
sive" Then he undertook to define just
what is meant by progressive"
PROGRESSIVE REPUBLICANS.
"A party of true progress is not a par
ty of radicalism," he declared amid
cheers. 1T is not a party of ultra
conservatism" he added, and again was
cheered.
"A progressive Republican" the presi-
dent went on, lis one who recognizes ex-
listing and concrete evils and who is in
favor of practical and definite steps to
eradicate them"
Twice President Taft mentioned Colo
mel Roosevelt by name In connection with
the campaign against corporate abuses,
and a third time by inference, when he
referred to the New York situation. THE
cause of Republicanism in this state,
he said, has been hearteped by brave
declaration of principle and by the nomi-
nation OF a candidate for governor of the
highest character and ability"
At the same time, Mr.. Taft did not
take any altogether. sanguine view of
the benefits that are to accrue from di-
rect primary experiments, but he hoped
that the idea could be turned to useful
and permanent betterment of politics.
CHANGE IN VOTERS.
'sBut. however effective these suggest
ed changes may prove at first he add
ed, II venture to say that no great per-
manent good can come from them, unless
they are accompanied by a change in
the individual voter, and his awakening
to the necessity for constant watchful-
ness and effort on his part to prevent
the old evils from appearing in new
guise"
President Taft announced that he had
directed the tariff commission to make
no report OF LflG WITH II has
plished up to this time until after the
election. He took this step in order to
lift the commission out of politics alto
gether, he said.
Besides the president. Representative
Nicholas Longworth, of Ohio. was one
OF the chief speakers of the evening.
His address was mainly defense of the
Payne tariff law,
Among the officers elected at today S
session of the league was John G. Cap
ers. of South Carolina, a general .coun-
sellor.
A platform was adopted endorsing
President Taft and his administration.
and his efforts and the efforts of Colonel
Roosevelt to purify politics. 1t also
urged the enactment of such laws as
would tend toward restraining the exo-
dus from farm to city life, and laid the
increase in the cost of foodstuffs to this
exodus, largely.
1t also endorsed the Payne tariff act.
President Taft arrived in New York
from Washington shortly after o'clock
and was taken direct to the home of his
brother, Henry w. Taft.