St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-04-03

He gave the achievements of
Roosevelt as, the extension of the
powers of the interstate commerce
commission so that the rates could
be controlled by the federal authori-
ties; the investigation of the Chicago
packing houses which led to the
federal inspection of meats; the en-
ployers' liability act; the safety ap-
pliance act; the fixing of the hours
of labor on the railroads; the settle
ment of the coal strike; the convic-
ton of postofice grabbers and
land thieves; the investigation of the
sugar trusts; the establishment of
the conservation plan; the whole re-
sponsibility for the establishment of
federal forests which will prevent
the monopoly of the holding of the
forests of this country; the passage
of the immigration act; the i'm
provement of country life commits
sion; the enactment of "a arbitra-
ton treaties; the securing of the
peace conference at Portsmouth
which ended the Russo-J Japanese
war, and he also used his personal
influence to awaken public senti-
ment to the evils in the country. He
stands for the income tax, the en-
ployers' liability law, the parcels
post and the revision Of the Sherman
antitrust act.
Gov. Bass told how in Canada,
England, Germany and France the
courts had no power to change the
act of the legislature in constitu-
tional affairs. The speaker then re-
lated the difference in the attitude
of the people today from what it was
eight years ago. He said that the
reason why people mated him today
was because he carried his purposes
over their heads. Those who were
against him then are the ones who
want Taft now and those who fought
with him are the ones who want him
now He then told of the changes
that had been brought about in the
politics of the country since the in
auguration of President Taft and.
the elections of 1910. He said that
the change was brought about be-
cause the progressives disliked his
decision in the Ballfnger controver-
sy and the dismissal of Clifford Pin
chot; his approval of the Payne-AI-
drich bill; the reorganization of the
Standard Oil and Tobacco trusts, and
they have decided that the place for
the judicial temperament is not in
the White House but on the bench.
The only states saved by the repub-
Hcans in the elections of 1910 were
where President Taft's record either
was not an issue or the state was
controlled by the progressive forces.
He maintained that the main issue
of the present contest was whether
or not the people had the right to
control themselves. If Roosevelt is
nominated it will be by the people
and not by a band of politicians who
will prey on him for the four years
he will be in office. If the people
want him is there any reason why
they should not have him?
In closing the speaker said that he
was for Roosevelt because he was
confident he had done more for the
rank and file of the common people
than any president since the days of
Lincoln, for the friends that he had
made and that he perfectly loved
him for the enemies he had made.
He stood for him on account Of what
he. had accomplished, what he stands
for and what he will do in the fu-
ture. When the republicans nomin-
ate him the American people will
elect him Overwhelmingly.