The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-06

d. Paul, Mimi, Sept. 5.-ThiS
was William H. Taft's day in St.
Paul. Ten thousand people cheered
him at the Auditorium, $4,000 more
at the State fair grounds. and
scores of thousands of others that
lined the pavements over which he
whirled. In the hotel lobbies where
the politicians congregate the YER
dict was, He made a great speech
at the Conservation Congress. -
Some went so far as to say that it
was the best speech, the most COM
prehensive, the most straight-from-
the-shoulder talk that he has ever
made.
The shadow of Mr.. Roosevelt.
who comes to talk to the congress
tomorrow, did not stalk before.
Mr.. Taft praised him freely, fre-
quently, and in unstinted terms.
APPLAUSE BEATS ROOSEVELT,s.
The first mention Of the coloneTs name
brought cheers long enough and strong
enough TO make the President pause but
that was all. His own entrance into St
Paul, and late tonight into Minneapolis.
and his appearance at the conservation
congress. brought forth applause that
surpassed that given for the colonel To
morrow the colonel cones in person. and
then, the politicians say. II may - an
other story.
To the conservationists the President
laid down the American policy He set
1t out unequivocally. praising the work
OF his predecessor, where he thought il
ought TO be praised, and denouncinE some
OF the conservation policies Of the colo
nels administration In the next SEN
tence.
Mr. Taft did dodge once. He left the
congress no decision Of the question as to
whether or not water-power sites shall
be controlled by the general government
or by States.
Il do not" said the President "ex-
press an opinion upon the controversy
thus made or have preference as 10 the
two methods Of treating water-power
sites. I shall submit the matter to Con,
gress and urge that one or the other OF
the two plans be adopted"
on this paragraph the West, as repre-
sented here by thousands Of delegates.
and the East, by thousands Of others
who came merely TO see the notabIes.
disagreed. In the opinion OF most OF
those who would talk Mr.. Taft sidestep-
ped the most important question that Will
come for settlement by Congress at che
next session.
Addresses Labor Crowd.
AT the State Fair Grounds the Presi-
dent made an attempt 20 conciliate the
labor unions He was speaking to a
Labor Day crowd. He was blunt when
he talked about class legislation; ne
was opposed to IT,
But there is kind Of legislation" ne
said. Ito which l would refer. that does
come under the head Of vicious class
legislation, and 1 hope I can make the
distinction clear between this and what
have been describing A number OF
statutes have been passed In the States
against combinations OF cOnspiraoies 10
restrain trade. to suppress competition.
or TO maintain prices; and there has
been sometimes an attempt 10 Insert In
such statutes a proviso or section ex-
empting farmers or other classes from
the operation Of the statutes, so as 10
enable the exempt classes to corner
products and raise prices while no other
class in the community can do so. The
Supreme Court OF the United States has
held that such law gives undue privi-
lege. to a particular class in the COM
munity creates an unjust exemption
from the operation Of a useful law. de-
MES the equal protection Of the laws.
violates the Constitution. and IS invalid
Again the Federal anti trust law has
been held by the Supreme Court to de-
nounce combinations, 10 obstruct OF re-
strain interstate trade, and TO prohibit
therefore, Illegal boycotts to injure the
interstate trade Of any person. In the
last session Of Congress, In an appro-
priation bill, some $4,000 was appropri-
ated for the enforcement Of the anti
trust law
Amendment Affecting Boycott.
I'm the appropriation an amendment
was proposed, providing that no part Of
the $4,000 should be used in the prose-
cution Of workingmen engaged in a boy
colt in violation Of the statute. That
Is not the way the amendment read but
that was its necessary effect. The ma
jority of the House. after a very heated
discussion. rejected the amendment on
the ground that it was very vicious
class legislation. AS matter Of fact
the money thus previously appropriated
to enforce the antitrust law had never
been used for the prosecution of work.
ingmen in such a boycott, because there
was no occasion for such use and in
all probability the money now appro-
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