Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-05-28
a REPLY TO MR.. TAFT.

l, the issue was whether you would approve my administration or
not as Republicans"
Let US accept the issue on the approval or disapprovaI Of tt
Taft administration. 1t is fully met by the Philadelphia Mort
American, which, in answering Mr.. Taft's challenge to sho
wherein he has betrayed the trust Of the people, says:
LESS than four years ago Nh. Taft was chosen by the
American people for the specific purpose Of furthering and per-
fecting the progressive Roosevelt policies. He so avowed it, and
every friend and every enemy Of those policies so understood.
He was not expected to be a proxy or simple imitator, But
where the way had been blazed and the foundation fixed he was
to build in pernanence.
"The one original issue upon which Mr.. Taft stood, in ad-
dition to the Roosevelt policies, was a downward revision of the
tariff in the general interest. To his account stands first the
PayneAIdrlch tariff bill. He has recanted his earlier assertions,
that it was the best tariff bill ever passed; but never his apo-
ogy, that he Signed it to save the Republican party His party
gave its verdict upon that achievement at the polls in 1910.
''IIe has established a sort of tariff board. But aside from
its personnel, its lack of powers makes it so poor a substitute
for a real commission that, 50 far, it has simply been an add
tional obstacle to stable scientific tariff making and, much
worse, an excuse for vetoing two fair and scientific bills that
would have brought benefit to the public.
''From the very beginning he united his administration
with Aldrich, of Rhode Island, and Cannon, Of Illinois. And
by degrees he formed alliances with Penrose, of Pennsylvania;
Crane, Of Massachusetts; GaIIingcr, of New Hampshire; Lori
mer, Of Illinois; Barnes, of New York; Eemenway, of Indiana;
Kean, Of New Jersey; Cox, of Ohio; Calhoun, of California;
Guggenheim, of Colorado; Smoot, the Mormon; Tawney, of
Minnesota, and practically every Republican of power and
prominence VIGOROUSLY in enmity to the man and the policies
to whom Mr.. Taft's loyalty was irreyocably pledged.
at was a moral shock to the American people to see him
choose this company. And with distrust born in them they
look beyond his assurance to study the value of the achieve,
ments he procaims.
"rhere has been a beginning of a parcels post and a postal
savings bank system. Both are shams and in no way an honest
installation of the useful institutions successful in all other civ
iizcd countries. But they are beginners of good things, and
for them let President Taft have credit.
"A commerce court has been established. President Taft
chose such judges as Knapp and Archibald, so that the thing is a
curse, sitting solely to nulIify the work Of the interstate com
mcrce commission and serve the railroad corporations.
AN excellent law, amending the interstate commerce act
for fine rprulqfiop and nOntr1l of oOrnOn narinrc has hnan
placed on the statute books. But the original draft was one of
the most vicious pieces of legislation proposed in congress in
years. President Taft sent this bill to congress with his per-
sonal Endorsement and asked that it be passed without amend
mcnt. The progressiyes made over this bill to one of service
to the public, and for doing it were read out of the party and
deprived of patronage by Mr.. Taft.
"There have been decisions for the government in trust
prosecutions. But the farciaI results of the dissolution of
Standard Oil and the Tobacco criminals have made it apparent
to the people that they gain absolutely nothing, while prices
of necessities affected have been advanced and a gift of more
than $~250,000,000 made to the convicted criminals by the ad-
vance i'll price of the securities of the dissolved trusts.
''The forced resignation of Doctor Wiley is the latest
achievement of the administration in its consistent attitude to-
ward the pure food laws by the president. who six months ago
promised radical reforms in the agricultural department in
stead of 'condign punishment of Doctor Wiley, while, in spite
and power.
Mr.. Tafts promise of aid to enact a constitutional in
come tax was abandoned to please the AIdrich-Crane-Wal
street clique.
And already Mr.. Taft has pledged his administration,
should he be reelected, to unqualified support of the Aldrich
financial scheme to make the MOrgan-Rockefeler group abso-
lutte masters of this country's money and credit.
'With his approval Roosevelt's conservative commission
was killed by Roosevelt's enemy, Tawney, of Minnesota.
"Rooseyelts commission on country life was disbanded be
cause Taft declared he could not accept the findings or advice
of its unpaid members.
''The Roosevelt committee on department methods, which
was unpaid, was entirely ignored, and q highly paid commits
sion on efficiency and economy was appointed to replace it.
"Mr. Tafts reciprocity bill, bearing the unqualified in
dorsement of the president, was a cheat and a sham, having
only the merit of a popular label. The progressives of the house
and senate soon laid bare the spurious nature of the measure
and declared against it. and since its rejection by Canada and
Mr.. Taft's laundering publication of his own Implicitly in his
only an adjunct letter, self-respecting Americans desire only
to forget that fasco.
"The diplomacy of Hay, Root and Roosevelt, which had
held America high among the nations, was abandoned by Mr.
Taft and his secretary of state. We have forfeited in Asia the
respect of two continents. We have lost the friendship of all
Latin America. We have come to the verge of war with weak
err peoples. And all for the sake of Transforming our diplomats
into bond peddlers for Morgan syndcates,
NJ, NAT l. -n,o &c Al l;boc+ oLoroo+ar hut n mans ipfnY