Arizona republican., 1911-10-30

|
 side of the government. | Meanwhile, every trust st-controlled
 newspaper in the country is assailing
 him for reckless disturbance of
 business"
 | And MT Bryan and his pack are accusing the president of packing
 the supreme court in the interest of the trusts.
 Both accusations are cruelty un- just.
 No president since Grover Cleve- land has been so consistently and maliciously assailed and misrepre- scented as is Taft.
 It may be that, like Cleveland, he will have to wait for his vindication l by history. Cleveland dead, the whole 1 country, including the malicious news papers and politicians that constant l ly assailed him, now acclaims his one of the best balanced and one of the most conscientious presidents the republic has had. It will of course be the same as to Taft, after he is dead.
 It was the misfortune of MT. Taft to come into power at a time when lawless business on the one hand was hoping that his administration would open the doors to every selfish exploiter, and sincere but impractical reformers on the other hand were eX- pecting miracles to be wrought. There in the country. One group, in the witty language of MT. Gavin McNab of California, Thinks that whatever is is right, and the other thinks that whatever is is wrong" Knowing that neither of these groups of citizens takes the correct viewpoint, Mir. Taft is trying to steer course in a period of darkness and political storm with justice as his pole star. He declines to ally him. self with the "malefactors of great wealth." and just as resolutely re- fuses to become a demagogue.
 Patiently and conscientiously he is trying to do his duty by the peo pie. He could make himself inn mensely popular by ranting in the cant phrases of the demagogue, but he refuses to rant. For he knows that while he would make profit for himself by masquerading as a dema- gogue, he would simply invite great CT perils for the country and make it still more difficult to achieve genu- inc and lasting reform.
 His Chicago speech was one of the It is the duty of the people to hear his side while they are listening to his assailants from the camps of the trusts and the politicians, and we append some of the most pointed paragraphs:
 "I would rather cut off my right hand than to do anything to disturb the business of this country; especial ly with a motive of cultivating politi- cal success
 The president said he wanted it to be understood for all time that he intended to enforce the antitrust law to the letter.
 Statements as to what I may be responsible for in bringing about business troubles, however regretful l may be that it is so, cannot turn | me from the duty that lies straight | before me-" continued MT. Taft
 Mere bigness of plant, mere big | ness of company or corporation does not constitute a violation of the law. | It is the purpose to restrain trade. to suppress competition and control prices, that transgresses the statute | and the supreme court has decreed | that these practices must end.
 Throughout my career I have all ways conducted myself with the idea of promoting business and promot- ing prosperity. If there is anything that arouses disgust in me, it is the calamity nOWler-tne man WnO at tacks business and seeks to arouse prejudice against it. Prosperity we all need. We are all in the same boat
 But, We have a condition of law lessness to deal with. We have had it for twenty years. Men have gone on organizing combinations in viola ton of the antitrust law on the | theory that it either could not or would not be enforced. The supreme court was held that this lawlessness must be stamped out. There is no discretion in the president to sus- pend a single statute. It is my duty to enforce the law and superintend. the prosecution of those who violate it.
 There is a vast difference in unit ing plants to reduce the cost of pro- duction and uniting to suppress cOm- petition. restrain trade and control prices. A jury could find that diff ference in two minutes. It is ques- tion of evidence and fact.
 "I am hopeful that this period of strain will soon end; that business
 |