Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-10-01
A SUCCESSFUL ADMINISTRATION

The charge has often been made
by the enemies of President Taft
that he is the friend of big business
and the Interests" and is against
the common people. This assertion
is the stock and trade of Theodore
Roosevelt who hopes to ride into the
presidential office for a third term
on a tidal wave which shall over
whelm the Republican party, Let us
forget Tor moment, our partisan
prejudice and investigate this oft
repeated declaration. 1t is not nee
essary to consult the politicians in
this investigation, but only to take
the facts as we find them to discover
that there never was a more unjust
accusation made against any public
official.
1t is fact, that, during the ad-
ministration of President Taft the
first organized and determined effort
against the trusts has been instituted
and suit after suit has been filed
against the unlawful combinations in
restraint of trade. These actions have
been begun under the Sherman anti
trust law which he found on the stat
ute books, placed there during the
administration of Theodore Roose-
welt who did absolutely nothing to-
ward enforcing it, rather I'm one in
stance directing his attorney general
To withdraw suit instituted against
the Harvester trust. With character
istic intrepidity President Taft began
to enforce it without fear or favor.
by his courage in enforcing the
law, he has incurred the active ha-
tired of the trust magnates, and it is
an open secret that the latter is try
ing to encompass his defeat for re-
election In proof of this assertion
ii is only necessary to call attention
to the Publishers or Magazine trust
There is probably no medium through
which so much abuse has been dis
seminated against President Taft as
through the undertaking magazines
OF this country. They have tried in
every possible manner to poison the
minds of the public against him.
Chief among his detractors is Frank
a. Munsey head of string of mag
azines and publications that absolute
~ dictate the terms and the condi-
tions which prevail in the magazine
publishing field. OF course Mr.. Mum
sey is working merely in the inter
ests of the people. when he employs
special undertaking writer's like
Steffens who figured so incredibly in |
the labor trial in Los Angeles, and |
others Of his nk! sure!
The president sent a message To |
congress directed at this great maya |
zine trust II was pointed out i'm this |
message that Of the annual deficit of |
the postal department $4,000, OOO /
thereof was due TO the fact that the
magazine publishers were paving that 4
amount less than the actual cost to /
The government OF carrying their /
magazines through the mails. Talk /
about special privileges-here was "a 4
trust that was receiving them in /
chunks which amounted 10 S63.OOO.-
goo a year, and yet Roosevelt. when
he was chief executive. failed to /
make move against the abuse. nor
did he howl about special priyi- \
leges over which ne now grows 50
eloquent Nearly every one OF these
trust magazines had been printing
lons-winded articles from their maid
writers about trusts" and .speciaf
privileges which other individuals
ana concerns received and no doubt
they felt especially aggrieved AL
President Taft when he SO fearIessiy
exposed their particular form OF
special privilege.
The attorney general commenced a
suit against the trust as being an d.
legal combination In restraint Of
Trade. Il developed among the court
proceedings that there was an agree
nent among the members of the