The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-10-11


Dirnaaaiouate Judges win accord to
the Taft administration the credit Of
putting IN force more measures OF 4
nosftfyely progressive character than
any other admintStrati0n since the
civil war. Not only have such meas
ures been numerous, but they have
been Of great and far-reacmng 4mpor-
tance President Taft has labOred In
defatiRably to serve the whole people,
and by means Of his broad experience
and rare judicial mind and having It
his command legal tRlen OF tho high
est order he has put his Progressive
polfcies one after another into valid
and practical legislation This has
been done without Boosting and noise.
whether vindicated or not at the COM
ing election, Mr. Taft's work VIII
stand as a chapter Of achievement IS
brilliant as it is meritorious-
We wish at this time to invite atten-
ton to two specific features OF gov
ornamental progress. One consists OF
the interstate commerce commission'S
investigation OF the express compa-
MES. resulting in the recent report or
;derinE the companies to reduce rates
and institute sweeping reforms In va
rfous directions. The other is the en-
:tctment of the Bourne parcels post
it'll. one OF the most useful measures
ever put in force in this country under
any administration. These two re-
forms, taken in connection, viii exert
a powerful influence for a reduction
OF the cost OF living.
Mr.. Taft has been IN complete SYM
patty with the interstate commerce
commissions inquiry into the express
business, a process consistent In all re-
kpects with the ADMINISTRATORS gen
i.raI policy Of compelling big corpora
lions to square themselves with the
lew and the public interest Some OF
tie more powerful corporations do not
like that policy, but the public ought
to Endorse It. The enactment OF par
GELS. post law brings to fruitfon a plan
that found Endorsement In the plat
form upon which the president was
elected. Through the action OF the
senate the Bourne bin, looking to
parcels service at the lowest pEacdca-
bic rates within a given territory, was
substituted for the house bill with Its
fat rate provisions. The measure as
passed probably is not perfect, nor
should the rates be regarded as per
manent. The plan is experimental In
certain respects. But we believe the
principle OF the act is correct. One OF
the most important aspects OF this
measure is its bearing on the food sit
uatfon. It will give consumers and pro
ducers a new medium OF direct con-
tact The interstate commerce COM
missions rulings respecting the ex-
press companies also make special ac-
count of this problem. The express
70 1eiTs
business in such manner as to give
quicker service and lower rates. on
food products.
1t is recognized by all economic In
yestfgators that one OF the greatest
problems related to the cost OF living
is that which has to do with the sys-
and the parcels post will be Of great
value in promoting prompter and
cheaper distribution Of food products
especially, and at the same time the
scope Of these measures is so compre-
hensive as to apply to all classes OF
merchandise. Production, too, should
lbe greatly stimulated by the influence
thus invoked.
We do not say that President Taft
deserves the sole credit for these de-
partures, but we cite them as features
OF an administration that some persons
would have US believe Is nonprogres-
sive, when in reality they form logi-
cal part Of greatsprogressive epoch,
which opened with the Inauguration OF
Mr. Taft, and which, in the peoples
patriotism and good sense, viii be con-
tin6Sd during four more years Of the
same courageous and able leadership.