The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-06
President Taft in His Speech at
jackson, Mich.
Declares Socialism Is Next Big
Problem to Be Solved.
UP TO THE COUNTRY.
To Say Which Great Party
Shall Meet 1t.
He Makes a Strong Plea for
Party Unity.
UP TO THE COUNTRY.

Jackson. Mich. June 6.-Socialism
was proclaimed by President Taft in
mis- speech here as the greatest and
most difficult problem that ever faced
CHE United States. and the institution
of private property was heralded as
the frame of the growing issue. With
out entering into any discussion of the
tenets and principles of socialism. the
president declared that the Republi-
can party has demonstrated its ca
pacity for dealing with other great is
sues wisely and effectively and that
the country must soon determine
whether the same party is to be in
trusted with the solution of the next
big problem.
President Tafts speech was deliv-
cred at the unwilling of Il bronze tablet
in commemoratfOn of the birth of the
Republican party under the oaks in
1854. and by many of his hearers his
utterances were construed as framing
a possible issue for the next presiden-
tial campaign.
One passing reference to the insur-
gents was made by the chief executive
in a declaration that unless individ
uals are willing to subordinate them
selves to the will of the party ma
jority the result would be a rule by
groups.
III llGI event. ne SdlG, Cne LOTu
only knows what your government
would be and what it would accom-
plish.''
Utteranccs on Socialism.
The presidents utterances on social
ism came at the end of a short out
line of the history and achievements
of the Republican party
For the future" he said. 81 shall
say nothing, because you would say I
was making a political speech. All 1
can say is that the issue that is being
framed, as it seems to me. is the issue
with respect to the institution of pri-
vate property. There are those who
charge to that institution the corpor-
ate abuses, the greed and the corrup
ton that grow out of those abuses,
the unequal distribution of property,
the poverty of some and undue wealth
of others, and, therefore, say we will
have none of it and we must have a
new rule of distribution that for want
of a better name we shall call
Socialism.
ION the other hand it is contended
that it is not the institution of private
property that should be abolished, but
only that the time has come in which
it is necessary to lay down certain
rules restricting and regulating the
use of that private property which
shall not deprive the world of indi-
Vidual effort, but which shall still keep
the law and the opportunity to use pri-
vate property under such control that
these abuses may be wiped out and
the boon of Individual effort still be
left to us.
Now, my friends, that presents
great and difficult problem that I am
quite willing to admit we have not yet
solved, and the question which the
country will have to determine after
all is which party it is which has here
tofore shown sufficient Skill and eff
fectiveness in dealing with great issues,
which party can be trusted to solve
that problem, than which we have had
no greater in the history of the coun-
try.
Republic Needs Parties.
1--WE have to have parties in a repub-
lie and party government means that
q majority or minority unite to sup
port certain principles of government
and to put them in force and agree that
they will yield up their views on de-
tails and principles of less Importance
ard unite on the great principles and
follow the party in the course which, by
a majority vote, it lays down as the
proper course to take. Unless you do
that yoT are going to have a govern
ulent by groups. by parties less than
majorities, and the Lord knows where
your governments will be or how much
dt will accomplish.
NOW the Republican party was born
CT a moral issue. When the civil war
became necessary with the sad but the
long headed Lincoln, Cvr responsible
ties were assumed. and we carried
through that war as a party.
1T IS said thai Grant saved the conn
try. 1t is said that Lincoln saved the
country. 1 should be the last to de-
tract the slightest from the grand repu-
tation of either of these men. but Meth
er Lincoln nor Grant could have aC-
&C mplsEed what they did or brought