The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-18
TAFT AND P|NCH0T
ON SAME. PLATFORM
They Speak to Delegates at Con-
vention of National Civic
Federation.
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PLEA FOR UNIFORM LAWS
President Would Give Good
Trusts Chance and Cut
Out the Bad.
PLEA FOR UNIFORM LAWS

.------,-----------
Washington. D. G.. January IT,
President Taft and Clifford pinchot
today spoke from the same platform
in addressing the National Civic Fed
Grafton. now in session here to DISCUSS
problems of uniform state legislation.
Representatives OF almost every
branch of human activity met at the
conference to talk over ways and
means for bringing about uniformity
of laws relating to child labor. mar
rage and divorce. pure food and pure
drugs, conservation OF natural re-
sources and laws relating to negotiable
instruments. bills Of lading and other
matters affecting the business and
social life of the nation.
Serious attention was accorded the
President throughout his speech, which
was q. careful presentation of the needs
of uniformity upon the part of the
states in laws looking to an ameliora-
ton of existing conditions.
In discussing the movement started
by the Civic Federation for uniformity
In State laws. President Taft said that
1t was the outgrowth OF demand on
the part OF good citizens to bring
about better conditions in the social
fabric.
Plea for Uniformity.
The President said that there should
| be uniformity in judicial procedure.
and he declared with emphasis that
If anything in the system deserved at
tack it was the delay that could be
secured by the wealthy under judicial
| proceedings. and he advocated some
change in the form of Federal court
procedure which could be taken as an
example by the States. He wanted
court procedure simplified along the
lines of English practice both in
equity and criminal law.
MIR. Taft told of tie movement for
"a uniform law relating to child labor.
and cited the utterances of the Cover
nor OF Massachusetts, in behalf of a
Federal law regulating child labor bea
cause the power of the Federal gov
eminent was greater than the power
Of the state.
Speaking on the subject OF conser-
vation, the President said that he
thought that there Is more to be done
blythe States in the conservation of re-
sources even then by the Federal gov
eminent Speaking OF trusts, Presi-
dent Taft said:
II am inclined to think that 1t will
be found wise after a time to recog-
nize those greater organizations, con-
centratlons of wealth and plant and
capital that do countrywide bust
ness, going into every State, whose
business Is almost wholly Interstate,
to recognize them as instrumentalt-
ties OF interstate commerce and to in
corporate them in order that we may
get them more directly under the con-
troll of the national government.
II admit there Is grou I'd for dis
pute, and I have only recommended
this as something that | look forward
to in the future as a means of saving
to the public which is valuable, and
there is great deal that Is valun-
Bile in those trusts, and eliminating
permanently that which is vicious and
contrary to public policy. But you
are not Congress, and | did not come
here to convince You on that sub
ject. / Only mention 1t IN passing"
Pinchot on Conservation.
Clifford Pinchot, former chief forest
er. said that subjects such as forest
preservation had been advocated by
Americans for more than hundred
years, but that the control of water
power monopoly in the common in
test was younger than the present
| century.
"All Of them to-day" he said, are
| in the valley of decision. We have
come at last to the point of action
And we must either go forward or
| fall back
| In his Judgment. he said. the for
| est situation offers field for uniform
| action and for cooperation between
| the States themselves and between
| them and the nation.
| In addition to President Tafts
speech at the morning session, Seth
| Low, president of the federation, and
Judge Alton B. Parker, temporary
| chairman of the conference also
| spoke.
Governor Wilson. of Kentucky, Sec
| retarN of the House of Governors"
| preceded Judge Parker in his speech
| as temporary chairman.