Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-02-15


metropolitan movement has ever
been inaugurated in Kansas than the
movement 10 humiliate President TAFT
and to rob him OF a well earned re-
nomination. 1t can have but one
effect, namely. to injure the Repub-
lican party, for q party like a man,
cannot do an unjust thing without
suffering the penalty OF such an act.
II will hurt the party more than II
will its intended victim. 1t 10 q
part of the policy which has already
lost us two congressman In Kansas
cost US the national house and VIII
ultimately lose us the state and ma
ton II persisted In.
What has William H. Taft done
to deserve this kind OF treatment at
the hands OF Kansas Republicans
What has he done that his old chum
and chief promoter, four years ago,
Theodore Roosevelt, the most amDi-
tious man In America, should now
be asked to turn upon him and rend
him? Nothing, absolutely nothing.
He has put this government upon
a business basis and turned an enor-
nous deficit for which has predeces-
sor had no remedy, into a surplus.
He has done more to enforce the
sherman law than has been done
since its passage, twenty years ago.
He is today more feared by The
Interests" than all the house-top re-
formers In America, because he has
been steadily going after them In
practical lawyer-like, statesmanlike
manner and it is common talk In
the East, where l have mingled much
in the past two months, that the
trusts fear his persistent prosecutions
far more than they fear the pyrotech-
mics Of the spectacular colonel. HIS
recent recommendations along civil
service lines are the most sweeping
and business-like ever made to an
American congress.
His vetoes of the Democratic bum
comb bills were courageous and right
and are being indicated every day
in congress. Take the hypocrisy OF
the Democrats on the famous sched-
ule X for example. The president
insisted, in harmony with the prior
professions of these Democrats, as
well as his own. upon waiting for
the report of the expert non-partisan
or bipartisan board scheduled by
law to report in December but no,
they must give the poor tariff rid
den people Immediate relief" But
now that the exhaustive report OF
the board is before them and this
same consistent president is begging
them to act on schedule X, they coolly
delay wool relief and are heroically
attacking the steel schedule. What
was the hurry last fall II there is no
hurry now on wool legislation? How
much are the people suffering from
steel tariffs? Wasn't Taft right
when he vetoed those immature bills
passed, as every one knows, for petty,
partisan purposes? Was not the
brilliant Democrat, John Temple
Graves, right when he said, recently,
that william Howard Taft would be
known in history as our great peace
president? Can anyone estimate the
far reaching beneficence of his great
peace movement? Does Kansas de-
sire to interpose in the interest OF
q belligerent Rough Rider who is
opposing this wise and Christian
policy?
Were not Taft and the Topeka
Capital right on the Canadian reci-
procity question and did not the adj
verse vote in Canada yindicate their
belief that it was at least a good
American policy?
Originally / was not for Taft, l
was for Hughes, but Taft has proven
more progressive than Hughes and
has grown upon me as he has upon
fair people everywhere and there is
neither sense nor fairness in the
fight that is being made upon him.
Progressive Republicanisms dear
to my heart, cannot permanently
..o.co,. IN, thiu unworthv movement.
l cannot believe it represents the
sober second thought of the genuine
progressives of my beloved Kansas.
But IL every other Republican In
the state joins in this cruel crusade
against as able, as conscientious, as
courageous, as kindly, as progressive
and as worthy a president as this
nation ever had, will stand alone