Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-02-14

in the blind denunciation of all wealth
and In the impeachment Of the motives
OF men Of the highest character and
by, demagosie- appeals to the irnagina-
ton Of a people greatly aroused upon
the subject of purity and honesty in
the administration Of government.
THE tendency is to resent attach
ment to party or party organization.
and to an assertion Of individual opin-
ion and purpose. at the expense of,
party discipline. The movement is to-.
ward factionalism and small groups.
rather than toward large party organ
ization, and the leaders of the party
organization are subjected 10 the
severest attacks and to the question:
ing of their motives without any ade-
quate evidence to justify it,
Il am far from saying that the Re-
publican party is perfect No party
has exercised for the last II years
could be expected to maintain either
in its rank and file or in its manage
ment, men of the purest and highest
motives, and / am the last one to ad-.
vocate any halt in the prosecution and
condemnation of Republicans, how.
ever prominent and powerful. whose
conduct requires criminal or other
prosecution and condemnation.
Tt should be well understood that
with the Republican party in its pres
ent condition with the various divis-
ions subjected to the crossfire of it's
own newspapers and its own factions.
any halt or failure on the part of
those In authority to punish and con-
denim corruption or corrupt methods
will be properly visited upon the party
itself. however. many good men it con-
tains.
| Eve shall be called upon to respond
to the charge in the next campaign
that the tariff. for which We are re-.
sponsible, has raised prices. If the
people listen to reasonable arguments
il will be easy to demonstrate that the
high prices proceed from an entirely
different cause and that the present
tariff, being largely a revision down.
ward, except with respect to silks and
liquors. which are luxuries cannot be
charged with having Increased any
| prices.
| But this will not prevent our Demo-
| cratic friends from arguing on the prin-
| ciple of post hoe propter hoe. that be-
cause high prices followed the tariff
| therefore they are the result of it. And
we must not be blind to the weight of
such an argument in an electoral cam
paign.
THE reason for the rise in the cost Of
necessities can easily be traced to the
increase in our measure of values. the
precious metal gold, and possibly in some
cases to the combinations in restraint of
trade. The question of the tariff must
be argued out. The prejudice created by
the early attacks upon the bill and the
gross misrepresentation of its character
must be met by a careful presentation of
the facts as to the contents of the bill
and also as to the actual operation and
statistics shown hereby. I believe we
have strong sense If We can only get it
into the minds of the people.
Should disaster follow us and the Re-
publican majority in the House become
minority in the next House. 1t may be
possible that in the Democratic exercise
of its power, the people of the country
| will see which is the party Of accom-
plishment, which is the party of arduous
deeds done. and which is the party Of
words and irresponsible opposition.
II only want one more word. From
time to time attacks are made npon the
administration, on the ground that Its
policy tends to create a panic in Wall
Street and to disturb business All have
to say upon that subject is this
THAT certainly no one responsible for
liz fonliSh1y
amuck in business and destroy values
and confidence Just for the pleasure of
doing so. No one has a motive as strong
as the administration in power to culti-
yate and strengthen business confidence
and business prosperity. But it does rest
with the national government to enforce
the law, and if the enforcement of the
law is not consistent with the present
method of carrying on business, then IL
does not speak well for the present
methods of conducting business, and they
must be changed to conform to the law.
"There was no promise on the part
of the Republican party to change the
antitrust law except to strengthen 1t,
or to authorize monopoly and a sup
PRESTON of competition and the con-
troll OIL PRICES, anu tioSC WIN iooh Ioi
ward to such a change cannot now Wis
it the responsibility for their mistake
on innocent persons.
"Of course the government at WASH
ington can be counted on to enforce
the law in the way best calculated to
prevent a destruction of public conf
dence in business, but that it must en-
force the law goes without saying.
- am glad to be present at this
meeting of the Republican Club of
New York and here meet your distin-
guished governor, whose name is such
a power before the people of this state
and of the country, that to lose him as
a candidate for governor by his vol
untary withdrawal is to lose the
strongest asset that the Republican
party has in the State to enable 1T to
win at the next election.
Il am glad to be here at the meet
ing of the Republican Club on Lin
coins birthday, because my knowledge
and information with respect to the
club is that it stands for stalwart Re-