Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-03
TAFT'S ACHIEVEMENTS.

Stand by the constitution, stand by
the rights of liberty and property OF
the Individual, and be willing to face
defeat many times In Behalf of the
cause of sound constitutional govern
ment-this was the message Presi-
dent Taft gave to the republican party
in his Cleveland speech. The president
urged the republican party to stand
by its guns and rest confident that it
has carried out the pledges it made
to the people Of the United States.
President Taft reviewed some of the
achievements of his administration.
The Interstate commerce act has been
strengthened $50 that life and effect
have been given to orders of the inter-
state commerce commission, with the
result that railroads cannot minimize
or ignore Them During the Taft ad-
ministration congress has enacted a
safety appliance law; an employers
liabality law that was sustained by
the supreme court authorized work
mems compensation commission;
created the postal savings bank; Sc
cured the final report of the national
monetary commission on plan en-
dorsed by the leading financial author
tiles for improving the currency sys-
TEN and minimizing the danger OF
financial panics. In addition to solv-
ing the railroad rate question by
strengthening the arms of the inter-
state commerce commission, the ad-
ministration by rigid enforcement of
the antitrust laws has brought bust
ness to realize that it must conform to
this law. And the president has rec
commended to congress supplementary
legislation that will further strengthen
the antitrust act.
The republicans have every reason
to stand by their guns and go into the
coming campaign on the record made
by the administration. President
Taft has given an honest, able and
courageous administration. If he has
gained unpopularity from any quarter
it is because he has taken up one at
time the big unsettled issues that have
been before the people and settled
them. ~
The tariff commission appointed by
the president brings this question
nearer solution that it ever has been
before. 1t provides means for bas-
ing tariff reyisions on accurate facts
gathered by non partisan body of in
vestigators. s-... ss~
The. railroad problem is no longer
a problem. The supervision over this
industry of the interstate commerce
commission has guaranteed the ship
pers, the general public and the rail-
roads themselves a square deal.
More progress has been made in
the solution of the trust problem dur
ing the Taft administration than in all
the years that it has been before the
people And the experience gained by
the president and his attorney general
in the enforcement of the Sherman
antitrust law has formed the basis for
that will make this
law greater force in bringing about
a square deal between the trusts and
the people.
Nearly all the criticisms of Presi-
dent Taft are prefaced with the state
ment that he has made SO many mis-
takes From these critics the Cour-
ier would ask bill of particulars.
Name some of the presidents mistakes;
name one of them. What some people
consider his mistake, is that he is
honest, thoroughly honest, and cour-
ageous enough to do the thing he
thinks is right regardless Of whether
it is expedient from political sense.