The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1912-05-09
TAF|':'T''''S'|ii RECORD u
ON RECALL Or
COURT DECISIONS
Favored the Principle to OblIgs
"PoIson' Makers"
NOTORIOUS WHISKY RULING.

Makers Of Imitation Whisky - e
"Rocalled" Seven Federal Court De-
oisions to Accommodate tho Oppo-
nsnts Of Roosevelt and Dr.. Wiley.
Now that Mr.. Taft is so violent in
bis opposition to any proposal to Der
nit the people Of state to assert
their understanding of the meaning
of the constitution made by them
when that meaning has been per-
verted by q judicial ruling, it Is we'll
to examine his past record in this
particular. Recorded facts prove that
President Taft is not opposed to the
recall of decisions" Of the federal
courts when the recall is made by
"a representative part of the people,"
even though that part consists Of one
of 100.00O.OOO Americans
Here is an EXPOSE" Especially in
teresting at this time. 1t appears In
the editorial columns Of the Philadel-
phia North Americans:
Long before Theodore Roosevelt
upheld the hands of Harvey Wiley
and forced the passage Of the pure
food law there had been notorious
frauds in the making, marking and
branding Of distilled liquors. But the
question seemed pretty we'll settled
by the upholdlng of the explicit pro-
visions Of the national pure food law
IN the rulings Of DR.. Wiley. sustain
ed by repeated messages of Presi-
dent Roosevelt. opinions of Attorney
General Bonaparte and decisions of
different federal courts
Merely Common Sense.
"The question was simply one Of
common sense. There was to be no
recreation Of or penalty for the sale
of any sort Of liquor. The rulings
meant. only that the purchaser was
entitled to the privilege Of learning
from the label whether he was buying
what he was paying for.
"UndOctored whisky was to be label
ed Whisky A mixture Of two real
WHISTLES was to be labeled blend A
mixture Of whisky with something
that Is not whisky was to be labeled
compound A concoction that
smelled and tasted like whisky. but
contained no whisky, was to be la
beled Imitation.
THAT was ali there was to the pro-
visions Of the pure food law governing
interstate commerce in whisky. 1t
was such q simple. incontrovertible
regulation for square dealing that
every American who thought he knew
along~what lines the administration
or William II, Taft would be con-
Quoted scoTed at the idea that the
question was not closed chapter.
when the rectitiers of Cincinnati
and Peoria limited at the influence thew
could bring to bear upon n Cincinnati
newspaper and Speaker Cannon and
prophesied the discredting and the
downfall Of Wiley we thought them
oVerconfdent in procaiming that they
could reopen contest which had been
Won and won-oper- aHd-o per-by- the
people. by the state food commission
ers and friends Of pure food before
President Roosevelt and the federal
courts.
$50. there was wonder when there
L
order reopehing the whisky branding
question settled by Attorney General
Bonaparte's successive opinions and
President Roosevelt's orders giving ex-
ecutive effect thereto
Tafts Conscience ReconcIed.
at the time Of the ruling in favor Of
the swindiers by Solicitor General
Bowers, In June, 1909, the North Amer
lean said:
THE real meaning Of this rcopened con-
troversy, Of course, Is that the conspiracy
to weaken, break down and nullify the
pureJ food laws is widespread, powerful
and persistent. With President
Taft rests tho responsibility Of spreading
credence or giving the lie to the general
boasting Of the druggers OF food and
drink that the entire toll Of Roosevelt and
Wiley to,safeguard tho health Of the peo-
pie Is to be obliterated before 1912 for the
benefit Of certain strong but not altruistic
interests.
"Six months consideration resulted
In President Taft's reconciing his con-
science to the PRONUNCIATION Of n presi-
Dental decision legalizing every de-
mand Of the cheating poison makers of
the Taft-Cox and Joe Cannon baili-
wicks. But. this notorious annulment
of portion Of the work Of Wiley and
Roosevelt Is not the point Of present
comment. The focus Of present inter
est is President Taft's aversion toward
any questioning ofAhe sanctity Of judi.
cial decisions.
But when the fo06 committee Of the
National Consumers league addressed
to President Taft an appeal for the
recall Of DR.. Wiley's resignation and
cited certain facts decidedly pertinent
10 President Taft's Mortified dcnuncia-
tons Of 'nostrum makers and sub
verters Of the constitution who lay
The ok to the root Of the tree Of liberty
who dare question the infallibiity Of
any judicial construction Of any law?
"For the Consumers league makes
H. +