The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1912-05-16

demand strong and reliable leader
ship to avert possible conflicts that
would be disastrous to every interest.
The people of this country desire un-
iversal peace and need the man at
the head of the nation that is most
likely to secure it.
President Taft is a protectionist to
the extent required for the protection
Of American labor and American cap
ital. Through his efforts a tariff
board was created to study Industrial
conditions throughout the world, in
order to intelligently enact such tar
| i'll legislation as cur people needed
for continued prosperity. The Sher-
man antitrust law has been enforced
| against more corporations than by
any previous occupant of the White
| House, and changes in the law for
its greater efficiency have been urged
upon congress.
Freedom Threatened.
The constitution is defended and
| the courts which constitute the bull
wark of the people in defense of
their rights and against popular ac-
| ton melted in the heat of passion
during contest, have been upheld,
and any attempt to destroy this
means of safety vigorously opposed.
The charge that we do not now have
representative government and that
the people do not rule has proven,
under his wise administration, only
a boggey put forward by insincere can
dtdates to promote their personal ad-
yancement
President Taft's position upon reci-
procity was opposed by many farm.
ers, but he was frank enough to state
his position without nquivocation, and
manifested no inclination to sacrifice
his honest judgment to curry favor
with anyone. We have greater re-
spect for the man who has convic-
tions and stands by them than for
him who tempers his utterances by
what seems to be popular favor Reel
procity OF the brand proposed in the
bill is a dead issue and should not
enter into this campaign; but if it
does, we have shown that Colonel
| Roosevelt was as firmly committed to
it as President Taft, and there is no
reason for favoring his candidacy
that measure. Even if it were as
inimical to the farmers interests as
some of US conterded during that
contest, 1t was insignificant COM
pared with the great mplishments
in matters that affected the farmers
interests. His active support of leg
slation for highway improvement
evidenced in various ways, and es-
pecially in addresses at good roads
conventions; his enthusiastic sup
port of postal savings banks, which
resulted in their establishment; his
influence in special messages to con-
gress and otherwise in favor of par
eel post legislation, and his public
endorsement of the plan for investi-
cation of farmers cooperative banks
now in operation in foreign countries
with the object in view of their es-
tablishment here, are a few of the
matters directly affecting farmers
interests in which President Taft has
manifested, not quiescent, but en-
thusiastic interest and support. The
farmers of other states were as
greatly disturbed and as vigorously
opposed to the reciprocity measure as
the farmers in Ohio, and yet they ap-
preciate the great plishments
of President Taft, and have re-
Gently chosen solid delegations to the
Chicago convention pledged to his
candidacy.
Farmers Interested.
We should not fail to appreciate
the fact that the farmers of the coun-
try are more prosperous today in pro-
portion to capital invested and labor
involved than ever before, and this
prosperity has been augmented dur
ing the past three years. Farms have
increased in value and farm products
have sold at better prices, due in
some degree to the better markets
provided by improved business condi-
tions under our tariff laws. Means
of transportation and communication
open to the farmers have been eX-
tended and improved, and the farmer
as a factor in public affairs has been
recognized as never before. These
conditions result from wise admins
tration under Republican rule and
able direction of governmental affairs
by President Taft. He is entitled
| to be known as a progressive much
more than those who are SO insane
over progressiveness that they re-
semble the person who stood so erect
that he leaned backward.
Failure to renominate President
Taft for reelection would amount to
an impeachment of the Republican
party and its principles, as well as
to President Taft himself. With a
single exception no president who has
served but four years has failed of
| denomination. Such action would
cause the party to enter the cam
paign for election with the admission
that its administration of national
affairs had been a failure No loyal
| Republican admits any such thing as
that The administration has more
than made good and kept it's platform
pledges to the people. The honor.
able and dignified positions scrupu-
lously adhered to by President Taft
| during recent attacks upon him from
a source from which they should have
never come, have caused vast num-
bers of loyal Republicans in all the
states to appreciate, as they had not
done before, his great ability, his un-
swerving adherence to duty, his strict
integrity and noble personal char
| anfar and will raa111f In kis ronov.s