The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1912-05-24
RECORD
ON RECALL OF
COURT DECISIONS
Favored the Principle TO Oblige
poison Makers"
NOTORIOUS WHISKY RULING.

neCdtfSu 0CNSV SbS' ~ SSS'e -
eisions to Accommodate the Oppo-
nents of Roosevelt and Or. Wiley.
Now that Mr.. Taft Is so violent In
his opposition to any proposal to per-
nit the people of state to assert
their understanding of tho meaning
of the constitution made by them
when that meaning has been per-
verified by a judicial ruling, it is well
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 1OO,OOO.OOO Americans. -''',--a.
Here is an expose" especially in
teresting at this time. 1t appears in
the editorial columns Of the Philadel.
phia North American: -.-,np.~~-
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 well settled
by the UNFOLDING 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. H..
Merely Common Sense.
1.-THE question was simply one Of
common sense. There was to be no
prevention 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 connection that
smelled and tasted like whisky. but
contained no whisky, was to be la
beled Imitation
THAT was all there was to the pro-
visions of the pure food law governing
Interstate commerce in whisky. 1t
was such a simple, incontrovertible
regulation for square dealing that
every American who thought he knew
along what lines the administration
of William ii. Taft would be con-
Quoted scOffed at the idea that the
question was not closed chapter.
when the rectifiers Of Cincinnati
and Peoria limited at the influence they
could bring to bear upon a Cincinnati
newspaper and Speaker Cannon and
prophesied the discrediting and the
downfall of Wiley we thought them
overconfdent in proclaiming that they
could reopen contest which had been
won and won over and over 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
followed President Taft's executive
order reopening the whisky branding
question settled by Attorney General
BOnaparte's successive opinions and
President ROosevelt's orders giving ex.
ecutive effect thereto.
"At the time Of the ruling in favor Of
the swindlers by Solicitor General
Bowers. in June. 1909. the North Amer
lean said:
1.-THE real meaning of this reopened con-
troversy. Of course. Is that the conspiracy
to weaken. break down and nullify the
pure food laws IL widespread powerful
and persistent With President
Taft rests the responsibility Of spreading
credence or giving the lie to the general
Boosting Of the druggers Of food and
drink that the entire toll Of Roosevelt and
Wiley to safeguard the 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 reconciling his con-
science to the PRONUNCIATION of a 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 of the sanctity Of Judi
cial decisions.
"But when the food 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 |
to President Taft's Mortified denuncia-
lions Of 'nostrum makers and sub
verters of the constitution who lay
the Ak to the root of the tree of liberty |
who dare question the infallibility Of |
any judicial construction Of any lawf
"For the Consumer league makes
clear In taking up the Taft decision In