Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-06
Taft Explains Views on Nations Resources

convincing evidences of the greatness of Min
nesota as an agricultural state.
This is Labor day, day given over to
emphasizing the Importance of manual labor In
our civilization and to properly exalting its
dignity. The two classes in the community
IL are most important its farmers and
worlJinFmen and this occasion and this date
suggest thoughts of both.
There is sitting now in the city OF st.
Paul convention for the promotion of the
conservation of our national resources To
no one does the subject come home with more
vital significance than to the farmer II
anybody Is to profit by conservation and II
anybody is TO make conservation profitable,
to others, 1t is the farmer. He is the one
who by the manipulation of the soil, its proper
treatment, its drainage or irrigation, its fer
tiization, is to make it yield the largest crops
under conditions that will preserve 1t best for
future years of usefulness.
Proper farming, according to modern ideas,
involves a knowledge and understanding of
the chemical qualities OF the soil and the
scientific methods OF its treatment so that
instead of being a mere manual vocation
it was a few years ago it has now become
scientific and practical profession. This has
been recognized by the general government
in the establishment of department of ag-
riculture where in its bureaus of research
the possible development OF modern farms.
and proper publicity has been given so that
those who till the soil may take advantage
OF the new discoveries.
FARMERS BENEFITED
Experiment stations have been established
the country over; free lectures have been
given at the expense of the government for
the benefit OF farming communities; contribu-
tions have been made to agricultural col
leges, and everything that wise statesman
ship could suggest has been afforded by the
general government within its jurisdiction for
the production Of greater and better crops
"All this legislation has been in the inter
est of the farmers and might be characterized
as class legislation, but so great is the gem
eral public interested In the promotion OF ag-
riculture that 1t cannot be termed unduly
privileged or Objectionable.
But there is a kind of legislation to which
I would refer, that does not come under the
head OF vicious class legislation, and I hope
1 can make the distinction clear between this
and what have been describing.
"a number of statutes have been passed in
the states against combinations or conspiracies
to restrain trade, to suppress competition or to
maintain prices, and there has been sometimes
an attempt to insert in such statutes a pro-
viso or section exempting farmers other
classes from the operation of tho statute so
as to enable the exempted to corner products
and raise prices, while no other class in the
community can do so.
THE supreme court OF the United States has
held that such a law gives an undue privi-
lege to a particular class IN the community
creates an unjust exemption from the opera
tion OF useful law, denies the equal protec-
tion Of the laws, violates the constitution and
is invalid.
COMBINATIONS DENOUNCED
t,ao,
held by the supreme court to denounce COM
binatons to obstruct or restrain interstate
trade, and to prohibit therefore Illegal boy
colts to injure the interstate trade Of any
person. At the last session OF congress, in an
appropriation bill, some 100000 was appropri-
eted for the enforcement of the antitrust
law. To this appropriation an amendment was
proposed providing that no part OF the $780,,
900 should be used in the prosecution OF the
workingmen engaged in boycott in violation
of statute
THAT is not the way the amendment read,
but 1t was, in way, its necessary effect.
"a majority OF the house, after a very
heated discussir1, rejected the amendment on
the ground that II vicious and class leg
islation. AS a matter Of fact, the money
thus previously appropriated to enforce the
antitrust law had never been used for the
prosecution of workingmen engaged in such
boycott, because there was no occasion for
such use and in all probability the money
now appropriated will never be used for such
a purpose.
But It was a proper view OF the majority
who voted against the amendment that on
principle such class exemption or privilege
should not be declared and approved in a stat
ute. I have not the slightest expectation that
the money will ever be used for anything
but the prosecution of corporations and bust
ness firms engaged in combinations IN re-
straint Of trade; but to tie the hands OF the
executive against unlawful combination of
worHingmen any other men, If such COM
bination existed and thus make any group
a privileged class OF law breakers is neither
Justice nor wisdom, nor good statesmanship."