The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1912-09-28

toward which we were fast tending"
In numerous speeches during the
campaign Of 1908 Mr.. Taft declared
his cordial support Of Mr.. Roose seyelt's
proposition to secure the enactment of
a law controlling the issue of securi.
ties by interstate carriers. When he
became president. he pretended to
make such law one of the para mount
measures Of his legislative program
He caused to be prepared. with much
advertisement and publicity. a bill pur.
porting to contain provisions aimed at
such control of the issue Of securities
This bill was drafted by the eminently
successful corporation lawyer whom
Mr.. Taft had placed at the head Of the
department Of Justice The moment
that bill was read by the genuine pro.
gressives Of the senate and house. they
denounced It's provisions to control the
issue Of securities as intended really
to further the designs of the railroad
reactionaries and the special interests
whom Mr.. Taft has steadily sought
to please from the day be was inaugu.
rated.
After a hard fight in the house,
the Taft-Wickersham provisions were
stricken from the bill and a substitute
provision was adopted which at least
embodied recognition Of the prin.
ciple Of federal control over the issue
Of such securities. and was. therefore.
q distinct step In advance. When that
measure reached the senate. Mr.. Taft's
allies and cronies there were vastly
distributed by this provision. Aldrich.
Crane, Penrose. Gallinger and all the
other representatives Of the special
interests In the senate at once pro-
tested against IL. These were the
men with whom Mr.. Taft was asso-
ciating intimately, with whom he was
working constantly. and upon whom
he was relying for support in the
senate.
They were the same men who had
most vigorously opposed his nomina.
ton when they. like Mr. Roosevelt. be.
lieved him to be real progressive,
but already they had learn that his
progresslveness was merely mask
worn for the purpose Of securing the
presidency. They knew now that he
was as good reactionary as any OF
them and they counted upon his sup
port In defeating this provision for
the control Of the issue Of securities
by interstate carriers. They did not
count in vain.
With Mr.. Taft's knowledge and con.
nivance. they arranged a deal with the
Democratic opposition in the senate
whereby they not only struck from the
bill this provision which was In &c
cordance with the Republican platform
and the many speeches of Mr.. Taft's
campaign, but they stopped the further
efforts Of the real progressives in the
senate to make the railroad bill, Of
which this provision was q part, a
genuinely effective and valuable meas
ure. Then they inserted in the bill as
sop to the public clamor for real
legislation provision for the appoint.
ment Of commission which was to de-
termine not the method by which the
government was to exerise its right to
control the issue Of securities by inter-
state carriers. but whether or not tho
government had such power. The ap-
pointment Of this commission was q
stultincation Of the Republican plat
form and Of every speech Mr.. Taft had
made In support Of that platform. It
was fair notice to the whole country
that from that day forward no faith
or credence could be given by TIE
country to any declaration Of any He
publican platform upon which Mr.
Taft might be running for Office.
But now, In the face Of this incon-
trovertible fact. and of scores more Of
exactly similar purport and effect. Mr..
Taft has the effrontery to stand before
q public audience and denounce Theo-
dore Roosevelt and present himself in /
the attitude Of the one who has the
right to feel aggrieved. 1t is an as
exhibition Of willingness to
deceive the people Of the country In
the effort to secure Office