Abilene weekly reflector., 1912-07-25
Senator Charles Curtis First Speech
in the State Of Kansas After
His Return from Washington
D. c., R,ngs With True Rspub-
cahlsm.
Sixteen Years Of Progressive
Republican LsglsIl!lSA'
Senator Curtis Reviews the Record
OF Republican AchleVemsnt.---
The Party Emitted 10 the
Credit for all Progressive
Legislation.

The first speech made by Senator Cur
tbs to a Kansas audience after his re-
turn from Washington a few days ago,
was delivered before the Old Settlers
picnic at Greenleaf, In Washington coun-
ty, on July ~. Senator Curtis spoke 70
the Republican party and he appealed 10
the people Of Kansas to stand by that
party because II has and Will continue
to write its pledges into the statute
books of the country Senator Curtis
said in part:
For Republican Party.
Speaking today FOR the Republican
party, | cannot refrain from calling TO
your attention the splendid achievements
of our party during the last sixteen years,
] limit my address this afternoon to these
last sixteen years because of the peculiar
political conditions that exist In the
country today. Now, you often hear u
said that the Republicans are not pro-
gressiye that they are not, going iasl M
enough. | always understood, until this
new theory was advanced by certain
members of our party that the hepuDlc.
the country. / have always Understood
that both Democrats and Republicans
claimed the Democratic party was neces-
sary as brake to keep the Republican
party from going toe fast; from becom-
ing too progressive. Under the Republic
an policies and in living under Repub-
ucan laws, this government OF ours mas
attained the highest position among the
nations OF the world and to snow the
people that our party has been progress
sive ! ask you to study the leg,s,attaton sn sattsn
fed If you will do this. you will admit
that the. Republican party has been pro-
Worry OF Congress.
Then Senator Curtis called the atten-
tion Of the audience to the following hc-
tions OF congress, and commented upon
I'll is entitled to the credit for all the
progressive legislation which has been
enacted. Just consider some of the acts
that have been bsvaroepts wpIs,sn epHn Of the re.
publican Administrations. The repeal ot
the Wilson tarin law; the enactment OF
the Dingley law; TIE estaonshmsnt s ,lsa 0I Ctr
Gpain: the enactment of the gold stan
dard; the proper manaeement OIL. OF Vof ~
foreign poBsesstone' the enactmsm .o ~
c1sosnstruetlon 1sssryIl Sn Of The Panama canal The
Hepburn Dolliyer railroad law; the, ma na-
tiOnal irrigation act employers aas0,.lsy ,.aS
al railroad employees hours Of labor;
prosecutions OF viOlators Of the anti
trust laws; conservation Of natela.d, Lsss
laws and extending the regulation power
of the eovernment over common carriers,
Including telephone and telegraph; .le
postal savings Senk stsiehoSo s..etSsr eHtenslon
of Conservation laws: creation OF pu-
reau OF mines; publicity Of caInpa1lSn e1t,gs
contributions foTpioo1Ik N saDa-
from contributing to presldenual, seta- ~
torial and Congressional campalgns. ne
creation OF special commission g m
veEtigate the extent to which railroad
stocks are watered; the appIopriatlon q
Ss5o 900 10 enable the tarin board %
gafher data In regard to the cost O
the selection Of senators by direct vote OF
A law penallzinR the white slave trainc'
law sfrengthening safety appliances;
An act Authorizing the issuance Of bonds
10 complete the Irrigation proJectss the
Establishment Of a children's bureau tne
cereation Of tariff board: the enactment
~ 4 fari0 law which, though II was not
perfect and not satisfactory 70 many,
vet gave the country 9 larger Tree nst
fhof re6uced The duty on 700 articles,
prfncfpaily necessaFies, and increahed the
dlItv On 200 articles. largely .luxuries-a
tsrfa thnt wa. 4 9tap y the ziGAk e1fsc-