Los Angeles herald., 1910-10-02

commission Is NOW dl WOTk III NAliS
country. have authorized the
chairman to make a public state
ment of the purposes and methods
OF the commission, but / have d.
rected him not to make that state
ment until after the election, be-
cause, in SO far as possible. desire
the tariff commission, from its very
inception, to be kept free from the
viclssltudes of partisan politics, so
1t will gain the respect and conf
dence Of the whole country regard
less of party lines.
Finally, since the bill passed,
nearly all Republican candidates
for congress, and Republican state
platforms generally, have declared
that hereafter when the tariff shall
be revised by Republicans 1t shall
be revised one schedule at time,
instead of by q general revision or
the entire tariff.
I have thus summarily stated
the Republican accomplishments of
a short eighteen months. Every
thing foreshadowed in our plat
form, however. there was not time
to consider and carry out.
We agreed to adopt measures for
the improvement of our foreign
will admit to be in q condition of
decadence disgraceful to a country
of our size and power.
COAL LAND LAWS NEEDED
We need the enactment of laws
authorizing the disposition Of coal,
phosphate, oil and gas lands OF the
government, and the water power
sites owned by the government
along streams in which there is
valuable water power, now uncon-
trolled and appropriated, under
leases or grants that shall induce
investment of private capital in
those lands, but shall continue the
government as ultimate controller
of properties with an equitable pro-
vision for readjustment of terms at
comparatively short periods. In
deed. the affirmative part of the
whole policy of conservation
awaits action and the Republican
party is pledged to give this signifi-
cant thing attention as it deserves.
We need a new government for
Alaska, with laws properly protect
ing the government domain in that
vast empire. We agreed to supple
ment and strengthen the anti
trust law, in so far as 1t might
seem necessary. Antitrust laws
have been vigorously enforced
We are hoping for readjust-
ment of our relations with Canada
that shall bring the two coun-
tries into closer commercial
union beneficial to both.
Finally. we are committed to an
elimination of the defects in our
banking and currency system, with
respect to which the monetary COM
mission has accumulated much ma
terial.
SPECIFIC EVILS ENUMERATED
Now, what are the specific evils
that have aroused our people? 1 be-
lieve that they have been growing
in this country for years and years,
and they can be briefly stated thus:
First-The corrupt control of leg
islatiye and governmental agencies
for the establishment, maintenance
and enjoyment of unjust privileges
by individuals or corporate wealth.
To make this control effective, there
have been organized and maintained
corrupt machines within both par
ties which break the current COM
munication and responsive action
are elected to serve and represent
them.
Combinations of capital
In Industrial business, generally
brought together for the ostenslble
and commendable purpose of reduc-
ing costs of production and distrl-
button, have too often had the real
purpose of suppressing competition,
controlling prices and maintaining
monopolies.
Every one who is frank must ad-
NIT that great progress has been
made in fighting these evils. Fiji
teen years ago the rights of the peo-
pie to our natural resources were
freely disregarded. The natural re-
sources of the nation are now in the
way of being conserved for the peo-
pie, who are the ultimate owners Of
such resources, and ought to remain
SO.
We have said to the railroads and
their stockholders, 1--WE cannot trust
to competition and we cannot trust
to you the fixing of proper rates"
Having created a tribunal with
power to settle when the rates are
just, it should be borne in mind
that the public welfare and the
whole business interest Of the coun-
try may be injured quite as much
with injustice to the railroads as to
the result of an unwise clamor for
low rates as by the imposition of
extortionate rates. It is not without
significance in this suggestion that
employees and wage earners of rail-
roads are today associating them
selves together for the purpose of
using their influence to prevent in
Justice to their employers by re-
pressive legislation or oppressive
regulation under the interstate COM
merce commission.
EARLY LEGISLATIVE FRAUDS
Fifteen years ago the general con-
troll of legislation by corporate influ-
ence and corruption was far greater
than it Is today. The crusade initi-
ated by Mr.. Roosevelt and carried
on during his term of Office resulted,
first, in arousing the entire COM
munity to the necessity for reform,
and, second. in inducing many cor
poration managers to abandon
methods that were questionable and
to leave politics to other hands.
1t was impossible to arouse the
people to just indignation at COR
rupt corporate control through ma
chine and boss rule without having
such q movement acquire an impe-
tus that carries tito extreme views,
and the electorate Is now searching
for q reform procedure under which
bosses cannot live. machines can
never control and corruption can
raVar avart ir1fiDanpa Hence we