The San Francisco call., 1910-10-02
TAFT CALLS WHOLE
G.O.P.PROGRESSIVE
President Delivers COnciliatOry
Speech at National Repub-
lican League Banquet
Gives All Factions of the Party
Credit for Progress With
Legislation

NEW YORK. Oct. President Taft
delivered what will probably be his only
public address OF the present campaign
at the banquet of the national repub-
lican league at the Hotel Astor today.
, The presidents speech was marked
by an unusually conciliatory tone to-
ward the insurgent wing of the party
He gave "all factions Of the party due
credit for their share in helping to
put through congress the legislative
program which the president took oc-
casion to outline in some detail.
The record OF the last Is months. he
declared. was an earnest desire of the
party to fulfill it's platform promises
and obligations, and he promised that
if the republican majority in congress
should be continued at the coming cleo
tions. the work thus far left undone
would be carried through to completion.
CALLS PARTY PROGRESSIVE
Upon the whole republican party the
president bestowed the title OF pro
gressive." Then he undertook to define
Just what is meant by progressive"
"a party Of true progress is not a
party of radicalism." he declared amid
cheers.
1T is not party Of ultra conserva-
tism," he added. and again was cheered.
"A progressive republican" the
president went on, ''fs one who recog-
nizes existing and concrete evils and
who is in favor of practical and def
mite steps to eradicate them"
Twice President Taft mentioned
Colonel Roosevelt by name in connec-
tion with the campaign against cor
poration abuses and a third time by
inference when he referred to the New
York situation.
DIRECT PRIMARY QUESTION
Taft did not take an altogether san
guine view Of the benefits of the d.
rect primary, but he hoped that the
Idea could be turned to a successful
and permanent betterment of politics.
But however effective these sug-
gested changes may prove at first" he
added, Il venture to say that no great
permanent good can come from them
unless they are accompanied by a
change in the Individual voter and hts
awakening to the necessity for con-
slant watchfulness and effort on his
part to prevent the old evils from ap-
pearfng in new guise."
Taft announced that ne had directed
the tariff commission TO make no report
of the work it had accomplished until
after the election. He took this step.
he declared. in order to lift the COM
mission out of politics entirely.
FUTURE TARIFF REVISION
He referred to his suggested future
revision OF the tariff. schedule by sched-
ule and declared that the Payne tariff
law was coming generally to be recog-
niZed as a most creditab1e BILL
The president declared for a sweep
ing extension of the civil service. In
outlining the future plans OF his ad-
ministration he placed stress upon the
proposed federal incorporation law.
He referred to the Standard oil and
tobacco trust case pending in the Unit
ed States supreme court and declared
that he did not share the fears some
what freely expressed that decision
adverse to the corporations would
greatly disturb financial centers. halt
general business and bring on financial
disaster.
RIDICULES THE BOURBONs
The president ridiculed the assertion
of the democrats that $500. 100000
would be saved in national expenses
each year if that party were placed in
power He asked for more definite
statement of where the saving was to
be effected. and demanded TO know If il
was proposed by the democrats to cut
off the pension list or do away with the
army and navy
Besides the president, Representative
Nicholas Longworth of Ohio was enc
Of the chief speakers Of the evening.
His address was mainly a defense Of
the Payne tariff law.
Taft arrived in New York from
Washington shortly after o'clock and
was taken in an automobile direct TO
the home of his brother. Henry W.
Taft, where he will stop until tomorrow
afternoon at 5 o'clock. when he leaves
for Beverly to remain there until Oc-
tober Z.