The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-01-28
TAFT POLICIES NUMBER TWO.
Special Interests Against Conserva-
ton of Public Rights.

IN common pdl4dLCe: ID "A1J
than a Christian gentleman having
in view the good Of the nation IN
general, and Of his friends IN partlc-
ular according to his ideas OF the ma
tion 5 welfare.
But rather that his education has
been very faulty in that respect, and
his environment such that the trend
Of his thought in that line is toward
the glorifcation of ''big interests" as
the mark Of prosperity rather than
the well-being of the tolling masses
who build up the nations wealth. ,and
without whose continuous labor the
wealth and grandeur Of the republic
would be MI.
With such a basic education midst
the glamour Of millionaire environ
ment the president feels that he must
help the cause Of national glory along
those lines regardless Of the hard
ships inflicted by the system upon the
wealth producers Of the country; and
along with them the smaller CONNER
eial interests also. The middle class
in general interdependent on each
other as workers in a common cause.
Unfortunately they do notmake CON.
mon cause with the real producers OF
the wealth they handle; but alas, too
commonly unmindful ~of the oneness
| of interest against a public foe, join
forces with the powerful ezploiters
Of US all. Aye too customary Is 1t TO
deprecate the hand toilers as fellow
workers for the common veal, and
emulate the big explciters with the
vain hope and sordid ambition to be-
come millionaires and exercise domln-
ion over their fellow-man.
Such as the above are ever ready
] to shout 'shail to the chief" and
pass on as all right any Taft policies
calculated to advance the big inter-
ests to the detriment of labor, failing
utterly to realize that the octopus
trust IS reaching out it's tentacles one
I bv one to embrace the smaller inter
tests and crush their life in It's en-
brace.
In a previous article it was with
g. considerable degree Of charity that
Mr.. Taft's going back on the prom
ised tariff reform was considered, IN
fering that the prediction promise
was sincere, but that as president ne
yielded to the force of an imperlous
snfluence-even to make speeches IN
Rsavor of the higher tariff. Since
hen, however, the development OF
faft policies 50 "thick and fast'
orces one to regard all prediction
promises as part Of policy to Sc
cure the vote of the masses, regard
less Of fulfilment- only to legislate
in the interests Of the masters. The
cod Mammon requires no apology,
but excuses in advance every breach
Of morality that may strengthen his
throne.
It was in mind to write Of viola
tons Of the constitution anent hber-
ty of the press and freedom Of speech
but conclude to take up subject just
now uppermost in the public mind.
! One which strikes at the material
welfare as well as of the peoples
rights, viz. the conservation Of the
water rights, forests, coal fields, etc.
One redeeming feature of the
Roosevelt administration consisted IN
decisive steps taken to preserve these
rights for the public at large. and
stop the thieying by ''big interests"
that had been going on through con-
nivanee of. government. officials. It
was quite refreshing to have such
chief Of forestry as Clifford Pinchot,
with a. corps Of efficient aids, faithful
public servants, who ::tet it their
sacred duty to save these valuable
treasures from the vuftures of greed,
and preserve them for TIE legitimate
use of the nation. Also Gavin Of the
zcvernment secret service was IN ac-
tive cooperation with Pinchot in fer
reting out the plans of the thieves.
But the enemy was not idle. On
Taft's succession to the throne some
thing happened: Congress changed
the order of the secret service; and
it gave the president chance to de-
eide it relieved Gavin from the de-
partment of forestry; and he acted
accordingly.
Of which decision La Toilette has
this to say: IA decision which the
public has not accepted, and upon