Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-08-02
The Acceptance
By Pres. Taft,

JaftS formal speech OF acceptance OF
the nomination of the Chicago conven-
ton was delivered here, today. to the
official committee of notification bead
ed by Senator Root and a few invited
guests.
Although Mr. Taft defined in detail
the issues of the campaign as he saw
them. he reserved the right TO amplify
his statement in a letter as the cam
paign develops.
The supreme issue that confronts
the voters. the President declared. was
that of the maintenance of the ma
TONS institutions and the preservation
of the constitution. threatened he said
on the one hand by the Democratic
party and on the other by those Re
publicans who had left the party t.
try their fortunes in new one.
Next in Importance Mr.. Taft places
the tariff. In the proposals of the
Democrats for reductions in the pres
ent schedules. he said. lay danger OF
business depression and hard times
The Republican principle of revision
only where scientific investigation
shows 1t necessary. marked the
straight road to continued prosperity
and commercial peace.
In discussing the tariff, the President
said that it was untrue that to its
door could be traced the high cost oil
living and pointed out that conditions
of living were alike all over the world.
A political promise could not remedy
such q condition he said.
AS an issue only less important than
the tariff. the President placed the reg
uIation of trusts He said the Sher-
man law had been enforced with sue
cess but added that specific acts OF
unfair trade should be denounced as
misdemeanors that such acts might be
avoided or when committed punished
by summary procedure Interstate
business enterprises, he said, should be
offered a federal Incorporation law.
Aside from these issues the President
pointed to the record of the Repub-
-lican party and particularly during
his own administration as an earnest
of what it might be expected to do in
the future If the people returned it e
power in November. He attacked the
Democrats at other points than the
tariff, making special reference to the
refusal of that party in the House OF
Representatives to continue the naval
policy of two battleships year. Taft
did not mention either Colonel Roose-
Welt or Governor Woodrow Wilson By
name but referred to each. While he
did not accuse either of embracing the
doctrines of socialism, many of the
proposals they had made, the President
said savored of ii strongly. He closed
Ia t.fr-
&C achievements and appealed directly tc
the conservative voters of the Demo
cratic party to join with the Repub-
leans at The polls.
Il know that in this wide country
there are many who call themselve!
Democrats, who view. with the same
aversion that we Republicans do, tn.
radical propositions of change in oul
form of government that are recklessiy
advanced to satisfy what is supposed
70 he popular clamor," said the Presi
dent.
"They are men who revere tile Con.
stitution and the institutions of the
government with all the love and re
spect that we could possibly have
men who deprecate disturbance IL
business conditions, and are yearnini
for that quiet from demagogic agita-
ton which is essential to the enjoy
ment by the whole people of the greai
prosperity which the good crops anC
the present conditions ought to brint
us.
TO them | appeal. as to all Repub
leans, to join us in an earnest effor
to avert the political and economic
revolution and business paralysi
which Republican defeat viii brin,
about. Such misfortune will fall mos
heavily on the wage Garner. May W.
not hope that he will see what his rea
interest is will understand the shall
lowness of attacks upon existing insti
tutions and deceitful promises of un
defined benefit by underlined changes =
The President had heard officially G
| his nomination at Chicago from the lip
of Senator Elihu Root of New Yorl
chairman of the notification COMMITTEES
II accept it, he began "as an AZ
prevail of what ! have done under II
mandate and as an expression of conf
dence that in a second administration
viii serve the public well. The issue
| presented to the convention over whic