Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-02-13
M'CALL LIKENS
TAFT TO LINCOLN
Takes a, Few Hot Shots That
Apparently Are Directed
at Oyster Bay.
WHO'S SWORD SWALLOWED
Speaker Declares He Is Not Present
Occupant of White House
Defends Administration.

Minneapolis, Mimi, Feb. 13.-''The
sanity and sensible methods Of the
first republican president are shown
by his successor today" declared Rep
resentative Mccall Of Massachusetts,
at the Lincoln day banquet of the
Young Mems Republican club here last
night. Instead Of mounting a war
horse and fitting to the sound Of music
against the trusts the president is TAX
ing the only suitable and effective
course"
Mr.. Mccall, for many years a re-
publican leader in the national house
of representatives. recently declared
against presidential third terms in
Guiding reference to President Roose-
veit's declaration that he would not
be candidate for reelection.
"The country today" said Mr.. Nc
Call, has its full share Of men Of mar
row range of vision, who have the per-
ception to see a generally admitted
evil and are utterly lacking in every
quality necessary to bring about its
abolition. The evils Of society have
as much TO hope from those who adopt
reform and progress as mere political
trademarks as from the most extreme
advocates of existing conditions.
TWO WAYS OF DEALING.
There are two ways of dealing with
trusts; one to rail at them in violent
language and the other to employ the
law. The former method has been
tried most valorously and the trusts
have enjoyed it; they have waxed fat
and kicked under the harsh-language
treatment
president Taft has adopted the less
spectacular method. He has chosen
to pursue the law and to proceed in
the courts and as a result the statute
which for 20 years has appeared vague
and doubtful has, by judicial con.
struction, been given a definite force
against monopoly without the slight
est injury to honest business enter,
prises.
There can be no comparison in any
balanced mind between the peaceful
method of the law and the system I'M
der which men would rush to Wash
ington and sue for absolution. The
one method is the very thing fol
which our government stands. The
latter applies uniformly TO all men
to rich and poor alike; the former
stands for inequality and favoritism
and sooner or later will be the parent
for the grossest corruption and sub
versive of our system of government
NOT SWORD swALLOwER.
Meanwhile" said Mr.. Mccall, 'tht
president had been denounced b!
many" 1T is true" he added, "tha
he is not a political sleight of hand
performer He is unable to deligh
the multitude by swallowing swords
he cannot stand upon a stage and pre-
tend to do one thing while he is reall!
doing another. But in the sense tina
he is frank and open with tho peopl,
and that they are fully in his conf
dence he is an excellent politician
Mr.. Mccall defended the president
course with regard TO Mexico as par
of a great policy which aims at eman
cipating mankind from servitude Il
war;" and said, 1--WE have had states
men who would have marched tn,
American army against the Mexican
capital" He paid tribute to the pres
dents policy embodied in his treatie
as diverting billions of dollars from
military waste to civilization purposes
DEFENDS TARIFF LAW.
Mr.. Mccall vigorously defended tn
present tariff law, saying it secure,
adequate revenue, reduced the averag
ad valorem of duties on imports unde
any tariff law in any fiscal year sine
1S4S, except four abnormal years fo
lowing the civil war, and it mad
American merchandise exports ris
above the $4,000. 5000 mark. H
praised the tariff board and said tina
legislation based on its work woul
mean the ultimate elimination of tn
tariff from politics.
Mr.. Mccall said Lincoln was "a dil
tinctvely American product" and tina
his example was a vital force in tn
problem of today.