Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-31
President Makes an Aggres-
sive Speech at Columbus.
IMPATIENT OF ATTACKS
Defends Administration and Calls
for Facts.
EXPECTS VICTORY NEXT FALL
Declares That the O1d-Line Republic
cans Are Progressive by Reason
able Methods.

COLUMBUS, Ohio January 3l.-"I be-
lieve that the republican party is go
ing to be successful in November, 1912,
and believe it has the better Of the ar
gument,' asserted President Taft in an
address before the Columbus Cleo Club
last night, reviewing the achievements
Of his administration. The, diners cheer
ed him wildly. President Taft drew the
line sharply between the old-line repub-
licans and the progressives Of his party.
and practically declared that the time
was at hand when the 'denunciation"
Of the progressives must cease and when
the nation will demand facts
The President made one Of the most
aggressive speeches he has delivered in
many months. He made it clear to his
hearers that he had grown impatient
with the attacks that have been made
upon the republican party and upon his
administration in the last few years.
The Presidents political speech came
as a surprise to many of his auditors,
gan reviewing in narrative fashion his
knowledge Of william Mckinley. From
the former President he switched sud-
denly into q discussion Of present-day
politics.
Disaffection Among Republicans.
He spoke Of the democratic victory at
the polls in 1910, and declared that this
was not the fault of the republican party,
but of disaffection within its ranks.
''Who are the persons who are going
up and down the land distributing these
views? Whose lungs have been used for
years in condemnation and denunciation?
Were there any regular republicans?
Haven't they all been shooting at the old
republican party and the old administra-
ton?
Now. think we are getting to the
point when we are to get our innings
Wen deal not in prophecies and not in
unfounded denunciation, but with facts.
Let us get down to facts, and then II
they beat us on the truth, we'll take our
beating. But let US have a square hear
ing and a square deal. and ask them to
brush aside the fogs Of denunciaaon."
Impatient at Attacks.
Mr.. Taft said that it made him impa-
tient to hear people talk about the way
his administration had enforced the anti
trust law
I'VE got some lawyers who understood
that enforcement of the law meant its
enforcement in the courts and not in the
newspapers and we enforced it / don't
claim any particular credit for its en-
forcement. Now we are met with the
proposition that we have forfeited the
support Of business because we have en-
forced the law. That is enough to make
one impatient Those men who thought
its enforcement would interfere with busa-
ness have been seeing ghosts.
II would say to you that our record at
Washington is good, and we are entitled
to the next four years of administration.
Why not go before the electorate and
ask for a vote OF confidence? We do
lennium. We will not make every man
rich or every man poor who may have
gained his wealth dishonesty. We will
not revolutionixe the COnstitution-and
have a heaven on earth, because l don't
believe any man who says he can do
such a thing.
Reasonable Progressiveness.
But we are progressive step by step.
and by statutes and laws directed at
evils, but we cannot work by legerde-
main and change human nature over
night. Reforms are not made by hand,
but by bringing effort to bear to improve
the individual. We cannot make over a
people by mere machinery.
I'VE are progressive in the sense that
we are making progress all the time.
But we are not progressive IL that means
all the guarantees of life, liberty and
property, and all the checks on the none
tary passion Of the people,
II am glad 1 came here. l had an inn
preston that you didn't know in Ohio
that you had President from Ohio, or
if you did you were glad soon to forget
it.. But I'm glad 1 came here and heard
this Glee Club encourage it's candidate.
II could wish you had another candi-
date more eloquent and more forceful,
who could lead you on with q more inn
questionable leadership. but you couldn't
have one more deeply appreciative of the
kindness and loyalty and interest you
have in the republican party"
Taft and Harmon on Insurgency.
The President spoke at a luncheon of
the chamber of commerce on peace. and
dedicated the new federal building with
q speech against the judicial recall dur
ing the day.
Gov Harmon, who was a luncheon
guest with the President could not es-
cape the political atmosphere. for when
Mr. Taft rose to speak he prefaced his
address with a few confessions in which
he and Ohios governor figured. much to
the delight of the diners and to the