New-York tribune., 1912-03-10
Cites Some of His AdminiStra.
tion's Achievements to Prove
Its Title to That
Name.
SOCIALIST SCHEMES FUTILE
Gives His Distinguished Prede-
cossor" Most of the Credit
for Awakening the Public
to the Need for
Action.

night gave n new definition OF "po-
litical progressive" in speech at the
hannuet of the Swedish American Re-
publican League OF Chicago. He elimi-
mated from consideration as real pro-
cress,ves those who look TO social
ism for relief from present day evils IN
government, declared that hrs "dist'n'
guished predecessor" deserved most OF
the credit for awakening the public To
the need for action and argued tnat
progressive is that progressive does
pointing to some Of the achievements OK
his administration as proof, that it has
qualified under that definition.
The term 'Progressives, said the
President, includes all OF those who
have been moved to efforts Of reform by
! the necessity for legislative and govern
mental action to deprive corporate capital
and undue vested privilege of their po-
ltical power and to bring about proper
popular and governmental control and
regulation OF the use Of capital In legiti-
mate avenues and for legitimate pur-
poses
Handsome is that handsome does
said he quoting the old maxim. An
administration which has been success
! fully progressive in deeds 10 entitled 10
the approval of the people. The pres
ent Republican administration In what
! IL has accomplished in legislative an
executive action is able to point TO many
real steps OF progress, both in the way
of avoiding unnecessary disturbances OF
business. in the way Of regulating the
use Of corporate capital and privilege
and preventing their abuses and I'm the
preservation for the public OF what be-
longs TO il as we'll as In amelorating
the legal status Of certain classes q
the people and In increasing the func-
tlons Of the government for the benefit
Of the whole people"
Remedies as Bad as Disease.
Turning from those he considered Pro-
gressives to those he held too radical
in their desires for governmental
changes, the President continued
The Progressive movement has as.
| sumed tho character Of crusade, and
| many radical remedies were suggested,
tho carrying out Of which would only be
less destructive than the threatened fatal
course of the disease. There were many
who had long attacked our present insti.
tutions, as the basis Of all injustice and
inequality, and their voice became louder
and moro distinct and was listened to
with much greater favor than aver before
| in tho history Of the country.
The growth Of socialism in this coun-
try is a noteworthy incident in showing
the extreme to which many would go in
the solution Of the problem which ! am
! discussing.
The futiity Of every socisIistie sehenne
which destroys tho right OF property Tor
the uplift Of humanity is that IL is irnpos-
sibIe to find a sufficiently strong motive
| for labor or for saving. Without this the
wealth Of the world could not increase to
meet the demands for the e~tving and
comfort and increased physical happiness
Of the growing population.
| The banquet was given in commemora-
tion of the fftieth anniversary of the
battle between the Monitor and the Mer-
rimac. and the President referred to that
| first fight of the ironclads as sort Of
starting point for a political speech.
| There Is nothing more inspiring in the
history Of the world than the story of
the achievements Of the Republican
party since the Monitor received her
baptism of fire." he said.
Reference to Roosevelt.
Mr.. Taft pointed out that the Progress
sive movement began practically with
the present century. Two decades Of
enormous expansion in all lines of en-
deavor in the United States previous to
1900. he declared, were responsible for
encroachments of big business" in the
field of politics, and II finally became
apparent that these encroachments must
be stopped and that legislation must be
enacted that would hold in restraint the
corporate and vested interests. 1t was
in this connection that he. brought in a
reference 10 Colonel Roosevelt. saying:
Durina the administration Of my dis
tinquished predecessor and by his ap-
peals to Congress and to the public the
people, and especially tho business COM
munities, were reused to tho necessity
FOR action. The great public benefit sris-
ing from this movement cannot be over
estimated. Il put the people on guard in
every state and in every community.
The antitrust law and the interstate
commerce acts to control law breaking
corporations both were passed some
time before, said Mr.. Taft. But" he
continued, the first step. and the most
important, was the stirring Of the .peo-
pie to the nature of the crisis that they
had TO meet and the obstacles that they
had to overcome"
once again in the course OF this speech
the President explained what he be-
lieved the American people were fitted
TO do In the way Of governing, them
selves. He made 1t clear that he wished
to correct an impression that he had de-
clared the people unfit for self-goverr-
ment. At the close of his definition OF
Progressive the President reviewed
some OF the acts OF the administration.
including the tariff and the enforcement
of the antitrust and interstate COM
merce acts.
Stands on Administration Record.
In conclusion. the President pointed to
acts of his administration to prove It's
progressveness He said in part:
In the history OF politics from time to
tina new phrases are coined TO charac-
terize new issues and new movements.
one of the terms which has .s, come INTO INTO
n is supposed TO indicate the opposite OK
''reactionary," or. ''ultra-conservauys
Men diner as to what progressive policies