Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-21
The Friend of the People.

MIR. Roosevelt's apologize, delivered last
night in Carnegie Hall, New York is
curiosity. He is "a candidate for the
presidency. and Yet ignores every issue
upon which his party is divided. The
issues he presents. and upon which he is
standing, are rejected by some of his
warmest personal friends and of populist
extraction Until quite recently. there
was no thought in any quarter that the
republicans at Chicago would be asked to
pass upon any such propositions.
The Garfeld-P inchot people have de-
cIared against Mr.. Taft on the charge
that he defaulted on conservation. Ac-
cording to their Indictment, the President
has played into the hands of the in
terests' as respects our natural resources
Nor does the presence in the cabinet of
Mr. Fisher-one of the most eminent of
the eonservationists- modify their atti-
tude. They still keep Mr. Tafts name at
the head OF their black list.
Mr.. La Toilette and Mr.. Cummins
charge that Mr. Taft defaulted on the
tariff. They would have had him veto
the Payne bill. which. as they insist. was
drawn by and FOR the interests. They
are fighting for a revision of the Payne
revision, and do not class Mr.. Taft as
progressive on that subject
Strangely enough, although accused of
playing the game of the Interests as
respects conservation and the tariff. Mr..
Taft finds many leading lights of the
interests opposed to him. Their griev
ance is the antitrust law. which they
want amended in their favor. but which
Mr. Taft wants executed with the aid
OF supplemental legislation. George W.
Perkins is their spokesman. and is de-
scribed as the principal angel of the
nnti-Taft campaign.
Conservation, the tariff and the trusts
are all live issues upon which the re-
publican party has a record and is eX
pected TO make further record. But what
says MIR. Roosevelt? Not a word as to
them He raises the issues of the in
itiative and referendum and the recall,
and because of Mr.. Taft's opposition ar
raigns him as opposed TO the rule of the
people. He stunts republicanism and in
PRODUCES populism.
Why? For two reasons His lack of
a record on the tariff is a record against
him. He should while President have
brought about a revision of the Dingley
law. His record on conservation is not
good in practical results that Of
Mr. Taft, and in three years Mr.. Taft
has done more in executing the anti
trust law than Mr.. Roosevelt did in
seven.
The second reason is that. in order to
run for President again, Mr.. Roosevelt
must find an excuse and he was hard
driven for one. Any port in storm
Any old excuse in a pinch.
Mr.. Roosevelt. who attacks Mr.. Taft
as the enemy of the people, distressing
and fearing them, and bases the assault,
not on Mr.. Taft's acts. but on the words
he uses in opposing the recall of judges
and of judicial decisions, is himself de-
nounced by the La Toilette men in North
Dakota as a reactionary, backed by GER
tain trusts. and hostile TO the people.
This rivalry TO be recognized as the
typical progressive and friend of the
people has become strenuous and vo-
ciferous Roosevelt holds that he is the
only and original typical progressive. and
that as friends of the people, compared
with him. La Toilette is a cipher and
Taft a minus quantity. La Toilette de-
clares that he is the typical progressive
and that the others are reactiOnaries.
differing only in degree, and that one of
his foes is also a hyprocite. Taft sus-
.cStS that progressive is as progressive
does. and that as practical friend of
The people he is the typical progressive,
assaulted by populsts.
Who is the real friend of the people?