The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-01-18

(By Oscar King Davis in Philadel-
phia Public Ledger
WASHINGTON, January 2.-Tere is
New Year greeting from President
Taft and the members of his admins
tration TO all whom it may concern:
The President is much concerned that
nothing shall be done by the govern
ment which will unnecessarily disturb
business, but-the law is going to be
enforced as it is found on the statute
books, and business, as we'll as all 9th.
er persons and interests, must obey
it, even if they do not respect the law.
1t is not the intention in writing this
dispatch to indicate that there is go
ing 70 be anything like crusade
against this or that form of business
during 1911, or to create a scare"
about a general opening up of prose-
cution right and left Anything like
this, so far as the Public Ledger cor
respondent can ascertain from CONVEX
sation with different administration Of
f1cials, is farthest from the purpose
and desire of the President and his
Cabinet.
But there are certain feelings on the
part of the President and the respon-
sible heads of government depert-
ments working with him which are
worthy of careful consideration at this
particular season by all concerned. To
bring about respect for the law on The
part of the public generally has long
been one of the greatest desires of
President Taft. He had not been
long in the White House when he be-
gan to talk to callers about his earn.
est wish that people would wake up
as well as the men around the corner"
He has expressed his concern about
the matter in public speeches silce
he has been President as he did fIe-
quently during his campaign for cleo
ton. 1t may be said now that the
only change in his views since he has
been President has been by way of
accentuation.
"Clinching" the Roosevelt Policies.
1t will be recalled that Mr.. Taft
often spoke, in his campaign speeches,
of the necessity of "clinching The
work of the Roosevelt administration.
One part of what he meant by that
term is now shown in tha results Of
the activities of several Of the govern
mental departments, especially those
of Justice, the Treasury and the Post
office. 1t is now necessary to give the
long list of prosecutions and convic-
tions in these three departments alone
in order to make clear the appli2ntiop.
This form of "clinching the Roosevelt
policies was not concerned with secur-
ing more legislation, but with the en-
forcement of the laws already enacted.
So far as introducing new legisla-
tiOn is concerned, the President de-
clared in his message to Congress Of a
Few weeks ago that the tiTe had come
when attention should be turned rath-
er to carrying out existing laws than
in seeking others. He is for q period
of quiet and rest, which he couples
with those two desirable things, res
pect for and obedience to the law.
Just offhand, it will probably strike
most persons as rather amusing than
anything else that the president of the
United States or anybody else should
be exercised over a general failure to
respect and obey the law, but it does
not 50 strike the officials of the va
rious governmental departments who
have to deal with law-breaking. II
is not an amusing matter, for instance