The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-02-23

gates to the Republican National Con
vention from Alaska pledged to sup
port him had been elected today
Most of the prominent leaders OF
the party in the State were present
at tonights banquet Republican Ma
tional Committeeman William L.
Ward. who refused to attentd the
Presidents White House dinner to
members of the national committee
last December, also attended.
In his address before the Republican
Club. President Taft said in part:
Party Has Made History.
"AIen praise Lincoln today and at
tack the Republican party, altogether
forgetful of the fact that in Lincoln's
life the man and the party were so
closely united in aim and accomplish
ment that the history of the one is the
history of the other. The truth is that
the history of the last fifty years, with
one or two exceptions, has been the
history of the Republican party.
with the effort to make the selec-
ton of candidates, the enactment Of
legislation and the decision of courts
depend on the momentary passions Of
the people, necessarily indifferently in
formed as to the issues presented, and
without the opportunity to them for
time and study and that deliberation
that gives security and common sense
to the government of the people, such
extremists would hurry us into con.
dition which could find no parallel eX'
cept in the French revolution or in
that bubbling anarchy that once char
acterized the South American repub
lies.
Such extremists are not progress
sives-they are political emotionalists
or neurotics who have lost the sense
of proportion, that clear and candid
consideration of their own weakness
as a whole, and that clear perception
of the necessity for checks upon hasty
popular action which made our people,
who fought for the revolution and who
drafted the federal constitution The
greatest selfgoverning people that the
world ever knew,
Much Progress Has Been Made.
I'VE have permitted the establish
ment of corporations and the acquisi-
ton of power through the corrupting
use of money in politics, so as at times
to give to few dangerous control IN
Legislation and government; but dur
ing the last ten years much progress
against such abuses has been made in
this regard Statutes have been passed,
notably the antitrust statute and the
interstate commerce law and Its
amendments to restrain misuse OF
the privileges conferred by charter,
and if need be, there is nothing in the
future of the country to prevent and
everything in the principles and his
tory of the Republican party to fore
cast progress in this direction.
I'VE have an army of mobile troops
not more than one to a thousand OF
our population, and now it is proposed
by our Democratic friends in congress
to reduce that army by eliminating
one-third of our cavalry They would
cut out some of the best cavalry IN
the world, five regiments of which are
needed for a nucleus of a larger army
should we ever be suddenly called into
war. For the same reason they pro
, pose to depart from the time-honored
y practice of adding to our navy each
year two battleships by cutting them
} off altogether this year
IN considering our many response
brities in different parts OF the world
1 think this is a great mistake. Ger
tainly the dimunition in the additions
to the feet ought not to be contem
- plated until the Panama canal is com
pleted. In other words, our Demo
cratic friends are doing the very thint
that they are always reputed to do
:. they are doing the wrong thing at the
right time. With unfailing accurac!
they have selected as their policy tina
which is least defensible under eN
listing conditions
= 81 have said this much to show tina
the Republican party, since its begir
, ming more than fifty years ago, Away
has been a progressive party and
always has recognized its respons
bility by action.
IF we have a record in the last tel
wears, and especially in the last tire
= years, of responding to popular need
by legislation specifically adapted t