The daily sentinel., 1912-05-25
Taft FAV0RS VETO, AND
TAKES SLAP At RECALL
CONTINUED from Page -

board which majority of them once
embraced; and, in the extraordinary
session OF last year, they passed three
tariff bills without the aid OF infor-
nation from tariff board, drawn IN
such an unscientific. unsystematic
and reckless way that | did not hes
ttate TO veto them, in order that they
might await the coming of the re-
port by the tariff board upon sched-
ule X, wool and woolens, which one
tariff bill affected, and upon cotton
and cotton manufactures, which an
other tariff bill affected We should
se entirely willing to go before the
country and invite a verdict of the
people.
mo charge has been made against
me that went nearer to my heart
than the charge that |, by the en-
torCement of the antitrust law, was
injuring the business of the country.
enforced il so far as lay in my pow
er and duty because it is on the stat
ute book. | enforced it because 1
believe it to be a good law, and | be-
lieve 1t when properly construed to
make d right guide for business. l
believe that, by the construction OF
the courts of the laws that are on
the statute books. and by decisions
that are yet to come, the line may
clearly be drawn so that business may
square itself to those boundaries that
the law -.Xes.
Il should deprecate the suggestion
of any so-called reform that involves
constitutional changes, without our
knowing exactly what we are going
to do and what the effect of these
changes will be. What | would dep
recate is the sudden suggestion of
amendments for this end and amend
ments for that and having amend
ments for breakfast the next morn
ing, as II the amendment of the fun
damental law were nothing but the
repeal of an ordinary statute or the
passage of an ordinary appropriation
bill.
There is one other subject which
is rather tender one with me.
am convinced that most of the au-
diences | had the privilege OF ad-
dressing within the last year were
in favor OF passing and ratifying the
peace treaties Just as they were pre-
sented to congress.
81 give notice that have not lost
interest in that point, and have no
VI DtNdust
intend, so far as | can and so long
as | may raise my voice, to continue
to favor general universal arbitra-
tion. | acknowledge and admit the
power of the senate, and | believe il
to be great part of the structure of
our government, and | would not
have ii eliminated for anything.
recognize the authority of the senate
and hnNn No nnarral with tha
else of that authority; but the ulti-
mate source of all authority in this
government is the people. 1t is the
people who, deliberate judgment, can
effect reform which commends it
self to their hearts and their souls
and their minds, and it is upon them
that | depend in this matter.
We have treaties pending also
with Nicaragua and Honduras to
carry out the policy of the treaty
with Santo Domingo, and they ought
to be ratified.
There are other aims of govern
ment to which reference might be
made, such as the movement looking
to greater economy and efficiency in
government work and expenditures,
penny postage through postal econ
omies; extension of practical conser-
vation acts; parcels post; revision of
currency laws and prevention of pam
les; scientific study of industrial con-
ditions and international investiga-
tion OF the high cost of living. But
there is one subject to which | would
refer in conclusion.
Should the republican party take
up the judicial recall as one of it's
tenets, it would lose caste as a de-
fender of our civilization, main
tainer of the constitution and an up
holder of justice. When we depart
from the principles of the independ-
ence of the judiciary, we shall lose
the valuable essence of the admins
tration of justice and we shall retro
grade to the point where the history
of the decadence of republics begins.
| am not unmindful of the necessity
for judicial reforms; but that de-
pends not on changing the character
of the judges but up the change of
procedure, the expedition of judg-
ments and the reduction of the ex-
pense of litigation