Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-05-05
PnEsIrENr TAFPs SPEECH.


President Tait's 6ve-dsy trip to the
Middle West ended yesterday, and he
lef. ST. Louis late last night for Wash.
iugtou, where be is scheduled to arrive To-
morrow morning.
At the lu ,cheon OF the Business Mems
League late yesterday afternoon, Presi-
dent Walker HILL praised him for his
appointments OF Luit,n and Hughes to
the Supreme Court bench. Mr.. TAFT
launched toto q vigorGu, speech In
which he paid his respects to BRYAN for
repor.ed criticism of Governor Hughes,
and decried the "csnt ofthe demsgogus"
and the "disposition OF Euolic j,urDals"
to make upjast charges against men In
pu bic life. ;,
Gan am appealing for lie jastice and
a square DEAL" said tae president. "net
especially for myself; for indeed, | am
in position where can get along BIT.
ter than some of the rest without it, But
l am appealing for justice In dealing
With sll classes"
The president dec Jared tEat he held
the appointment { f men TO the Supreme
Ocu,t bench Rs the mcst sacred OF bis
dot'e,.
"To me-" said the president, "a
lawyer, the suoreme Out OF the
Uoited States is the most sacred thing
tast we have in this government, and
the appointment OF men to that bench
is the highest aud most sacred fuuc-
ton that the executive has to perform.
"Now I do NIT like to be insidious
in my remarks, or to qaote 1hst may
have been a mlsqu otauoD, but l did
hear or see criticism of one appoint
mept, on the ground, ss | understand
If, that tde appuiutee was not an i'm
placable foe of wealth and corporations.
I think perhaps that criticism has been
misunderstood, and that the rer OF
it did net intend to give itthe meat
ing that, thus stated, it SCENE to have.
s'I believe that all, democrats and
reIub ublicans, republicans and Insurgents,
Who are p.triotic citizsns, and We sll
are that, are in favor of having men
upon that bench who are foes ct moth
ing hut what Is wrong and are in favor
of equal justice to everyone, whether
that be au organization OF men doing
business under the Law and uing the
instlu mentality of q corporition to
promote the industries OF the country,
or be the humblsst citizens struggling
With his asnd to earn livelihood for
his family.
ri do not mean TO say that men by
their habit, of life may not acquire q
bent or a prejudice In one direction or
another, aud that it isn't wise to select
for the highest tribunal men who have
not such a bent and who have not 10
their makeup the danger or prtiu lice to
one interest or against another. Bat
do mean to cay that there Is In the
public journals, and In what may call
the cant Of the demsgogues, dispos-
tion to charge that kind of bent In
favor of corporate wealth and corporate
greed and corporate monopoly when
there is no iast CO for the charge at all.
"Tbis assumption of peculiar honesty
manifested by class declaration and the
stirring up of claas spirit is something
that ought to be deprecated in our re-
public or else it will lead to great dan-
ger. We ought to take up the discus.
sion OF public questions and discuss their
effect with julicisl calmness and not have
our minds diverted by charges OF pre-.
judice and corrupt mt tiyt s; say charges
utterly unsupported by evidence of cam
consideration"