Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-03-12
HITS At PR0CRESSIVES
SAYS CERTAIN PUBLIC MEN ARE
TRYING TO CONFUSE THE
PUBLIC MIND.
ATTACKS RADICAL CHANGES


INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, March TO-
I'm speech laudng President 1afts
administration as complete fulfill
ment of all the republican reform
pledges of 1908, and strict continu,
alton Of the policies inaugurated by
President Roosevelt Secretary NaEcl
of the department of commerce and
labor tonight made "A vigorous attack
upon the advocates of such govern
mental changes ms the initiative, refer
endum and recall.
Secretary Nagcl declared that pub
lie men were attempting to confuse
the public mind' that they were busy
making promises to which they can
not he successfully held. That the re-
call Of judges would make trimmers
of men," and deter men Of ndepen,
dence and capacity from accepting
positions Of trust"
1T was conceivable fifty years ago
that as result Of our internal strife
there might have been two republics" ,"
he said. 1T is conceivable today that
II some of the suggestions impatiently
put forward at this time are to pre-
vail, the question may arise whether
or not there shall be one republic.
Against such contingency it be-
hooves every citizen to set his face,
in absolute disregard of every other
consideration, personal or political"
The efforts of President Taft to Ger
ry out the pledges Of the party he
said, had brought no aid from his re.
publican critics.
For the last three years" sa d
Secretary Nagel, during a period Of
unfailing struggle to realize and bring
into action every pledge that was
made in the name of the republican
party there has been uttered scarcely
a word of approval by them Of these
things which the party by their con-
sent and approval had assumed.
Instead they have filled the air
with nostrums, the acceptance Of
which are pronounced to be the sole
test Of the progressive spirit Instead
of aiding to fulfill what has been
solemnly r~omised in the name of the
people, it is proclaimed that the in
itiative, the referendum and the re,
call of officials, including judges, and
OF judicial decisions, shall from now
on be the test Of progressive repub.
licanism."
"The pledges of that platform have
been kept" said Secretary Nagel.
Perhaps never in the history of the
pn nj 4.
tinct pledges of a platform been re-
deemed within one administration. 1t
has been carried out with respect to
its specific promises and according to
its spirit. The president has by every
act redeemed the pledges of the plat
form and his own promises
Further remedies were necessary.
said Secretary Nagel, to make corpor-
alton control effective; but President
Tafts CRITICS We're giving him no aid
in getting such remedies, he said.
This task is still unfinished" said
Mr.. Nagel. 1T is pressing for de-
cision. It were better that we apply
ourselves to the practical perform
ance of 90 important a pledge than TO
fill the public ear with vague prom.
ises for the fufillment Of visionary
desires. The initiative. referendum
and recall are advocated by men who
are ambitious for national office and
generlly'ayoided by men who have to
DO with local affairs. Each is busy
making promises to which he cannot
be successfully held"
1T means that the determination OF
what is right and therefore what Is
constitutional must be left to the
author Of the nostrum itself" said
Secretary Nagel ut means one man
has meant and always will mean. II
is not progressive, it is reactonary. for
by its teaching every people that have
ever experimental with these doc
trines have gone TO their destruction.
at is one thing to make com.
plants; it is quite another to provide
the release. It is one thing to enter.
tain the people with declamations;
It Is another thing to formulate a rule
which is calculated TO promote the
welfare Of the people. In the past
we have never denied that there was
much truth in MIR. Bryans complaint;
but We have denounced his remedies.
ln the field Of promises We have con.
q. led him monopoly Today we
have to confess that factions in our
Own ranks have not only enlarged up
on his complaints but have prc-em.
ploytd and expanded his roctrnes."