Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-02-28
WHAT TAFT HAS DONE
President Has Accomplished More
Than Any President i'm
Recent Years.
GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS SHOWN.
Record of What Has Been Done
Without the Blare of Trumpets
is Long One.

and commission, together with the
new issues which have arisen as the
result, are now the subject of dis
cussion as President Taft seeks re-
nomination.
While the democrats aim to make
the tariff the chief issue and avoid
an investigation of the money trust,
yet the record of the Taft admins
tration cannot be overlooked as the
paramount issue, and to this the peo-
| pie are now turning and examining
with interest as they survery the
| field for the safer man to name as
the next president of the United
States.
President Taft, without self adver-
tisement and vainglory, and in de-
liberate and manly way, has accomp-
lished more than any other president
in recent years. His acts have been
without blare of trumpets, and it is
the absence of the spectacular in his
official life which has caused the re-
publican campaign committee, head
ed by Representative William B. Nc
Kinley, to publish for distribution,
Three Years of Taft: An Index of
His Administration"
President Taft has been misrepre-
sented to the public, his managers
say. Every achievement of his has
been beclouded by criticisms of op-
ponents, and it is to compel proper
consideration of his acts that his rec
ord is briefly spread before the pub
lie. Under mis- administration the
following laws and policies have
been put in force, as set forth in this
latest publication:
Arbitration treaties with Great
Britain and France, aimed at war,
have been negotiated and are now
before the senate. Similar negotia-
tions with other powers are pending.
Great trusts have been made to
feel that the statutes carry penalties
for them as well as for the small
trusts, and for the individual viola
tor of the law. An era of calm en-
forcement of existing law has been
inaugurated. The sugar corporation
was convicted, proceedings brought
against the steel corporation and the
coal, whiskey, lumber and beef cor
porations brought to court. More
than two score prosecutions are pend
ing. The Standard Oil and tobacco
cases have been completed and an
Interpretation of the Sherman law,
many years in doubt, obtained.
When a democratic house threat
ened to involve the United States
with Russia in too hasty annul-
ment OF the passport treaty. Presi-
dent Taft assumed the weight of re-
sponsibility and declared in diplo-
matte form. that the notice of one
be abrogated upon the notice of one
year, which is required.
Scientific tariff revision has been
put in place of political giving and
taking in such legislation. A tariff
board has been created and it's in
vestigations have brought a recon-
mendation from the president for
revision and reduction of the woolen
schedule. Other schedules are under
scrutiny preparatory to further rec
concentrations, ii they be found to
conflict with republican platform
principle, and his policy looking to
future revision on scientific sched-
ule by schedule revision has become
effective. The tariff bill, regarded by
President Taft as a step in the right
direction, even though not perfect
measure, has turned a $5S,00O,000
deficit into $30,000.000 surplus.
Wool, cotton and so-called farmers
free list bills, originating In demo-
cratic house, have been vetoed be-
cause they violated the principle of
the republican platform, that revi-
sion of the tariff should be based up
on the difference in the cost of pro-
duction at home and Abroad diff
ference upon which information at
that time was lacking
The Panama canal has been
brought to stage approaching COM
pletion, and the date of opening ad-
vanced by several months through
systematic work.
me Arizona statehood bill was
vetoed because it provided for the
recall OF judges. New Mexico and
Arizona have now been admitted as
states.
The post office department has
been placed upon self sustaining
basis.
A difficult situation resulting from
the revolution in Mexico, arousing
deep feeling in the southern portions
or the United States. was handled
with diplomacy and tact, and the
United States aided in the establish
ment OF law and order in the neigh
boring republic thro1gh preserving
1t in our own.
The treasury agents and customs
employees have been reorganized,
fraud has been weeded out of the