New-York tribune., 1912-01-31
Time for Their Attacks to Cease
and Nation to Listen to Facts,
He Says in Most AggreS-
Sive Speech.
PARTY LINE SHARPLY DRAWN
Old Line Republicans the Zeal
Progressives, President De-
clares-Gives Three Rea-
sons Why He Believes
Victory Certain.

VlCIOTy OeItdih'
Columbus, Ohio, Jan. 3o-Reviewins
the achievements of his administration
before the Columbus Glee Club here to-
night. President Taft drew the line
sharply between the old line Republi-
cans and the Progressives OF his party
and practically declared that the time
was at hand when the "denunciations
of the Progressives must cease and when
the nation will demand facts.
| He had not the slightest doubt, he
said that the Republican party would
win In the November elections.
The President made one Of the most
aggressive speeches he has ever deliy-
cred. He made it clear to his hearers
that he had grown impatient of the at
tacks that have been made on the Re-
publican party and on his administra-
tion i'm the last few years. He declared
that the old line Republicans were pro-
gressive enough TO adopt all the legis-
lation that progress demanded, but said
|
promise to make a heaven on earth
or to reform the world in a day.
Three Reasons for Success.
| He said that i'm his mind there were
+ three reasons why the party should be
returned to power next November. One
was that it had done reasonably and
fairly well' in its administration of the
government i'm the last few years and
deserved the continued confidence Of
the country; the second was that 1t
was progressing, and would put i'm
operation all the necessary legislation
that is progressive" and the third was
| that the party was mot chasing CHI
meras and not unsettling the founda-
tions of government merely to indulge
| in the fancies of hope"
The Presidents political speech came
as a surprise TO many Of his auditors,
who listened respectfully when he began.
reviewing in narrative fashion his
knowledge of William Mckinley. From
the former President he switched sud
denly into discussion of present day
politics. and the diners cheered him
wildly when he said
Il believe that the Republican party
! is going to be successful in November,
| 1912, and / believe il thoroughly and
! sincerely and without any mental res-
ervation whatever, and | believe that
because / have real faith i'm the intelli-
gence and discrimination of the Ameri
can people. | believe that they know
what good service is. 7 believe that
they have intelligence and dscrimina-
tion enough 10 enable the party organ
ization through the press and through
| political speakers i'm the campaign OF
education that is coming to convince
them that the service of the last four
years has been such that they can trust
| il for the next four years
! "A campaign is four months long II
seems like four years but every voter
| who has been put on the qui vive will
| have his interest aroused and will know
| the candidate accurately and will have
been given a fair opportunity i'm that
time to judge which party offers the best
argument for the next term"
| From his optimistic look into the fut-
ure the President turned TO the past ami
the present and his voice. husky as q
was, rose to higher pitch.
! He spoke of the Democratic victory at
the polls in 1910 and declared that this
was not the fault of the Republican
party, but Of disaffection within its
ranks.
DlsaHection Caused Defeat.
| who are the persons who are going
up and down the land distributing these
views? Whose lungs have been used for
years in condemnation and denuncia-
ton?
Were there any regular Republicans2
Haven't they all been shooting at the
old Republican party and the old ad-
ministration?
| Now | think we are getting at the
! point when we are to get our innings.
| Wen DEAL not in prophecies and not In
unfounded denunciation, but with facts.
Let us get down to facts, and then il
they beat us on the truth we'll take our
beating. But let us have square hear
ing and a square DEAL and ask them TO =
brush aside the fogs of denunciation"
Mr. Taft said 1t made him impatient
10 hear people talk about the way his
administration had enforced the anti
| trust law.
Have Been Seeing Ghosts"
I'VE got some lawyers who understood
| that enforcement of the law meant its
enforcement in the courts and not In the
newspapers and we enforced IT, | don't
claim any particular credit for its en-
| forcement. Now we're met with the
proposition that we've forfeited the sup
| port of business because we have en-
| forced the law. That is enough TO make
one impatient. Those men who though:
| its enforcement would interfere with
business have been seeing ghosts.
II would say to you that our record
at Washington is good and we are en-
titled TO the next four years of admin
istration. Why not go before the elector-
ate and ask for vote of confidence?
We do not promise to give entry TO the
millennium. We will not make every
man rich or every man poor who may
have gained his wealth dishonesty. Wa
will not revolutionize the Constitution