The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-03-12
CONFUSING
PUBLIC MIND"
And Making Promises to Which
They Cannot Be Held
so SEC. NAGEL DECLARED
In Address in Indianapolis Last Night
When He Lauded Taft Administra-
ton as a Complete FuIfIlment
of 1908 Pledges.
so SEC. NAGEL DECLARED

policies inaugurated by President Roose.
welt, Secretary Nagel of the department
of commerce and labor last night made
a vigorous attack upon the advocates
of such governmental changes as the
initiative, referendum and recall
Secretary Nagel declared that public
men were attempting to Confuse the
public mind; that they We're busy
making promises to which they cannot
be successfully heidi; that the recall
OF judges would make trimmers of
men, and deter men of Independence
and capacity from accepting positions Of
/ trust
lit was conceivable fifty years ago
! that as result of our internal strife
( there might have been two republics, -
he said. at is conceivable to-day, that
/ if some of the suggestions impatiently
! put forward at this time are to prevail,
/ the question may arise whether or not
/ there shall be one republic. Against
such contingency it behooves every
/ citizen TO set his face in absolute disre-
gard of every other consideration, per-
sonal or political"
The efforts of President Taft to carry
out the pledges of the party, he said,
had brought no aid from his Republican
critics.
"For the last three years." said Sec
rotary Nagel, during period of unfall-
ing struggle to realize and bring into
action every pledge that was made in
the name OF the Republican party, there
has been uttered scarcely word of APP
proval by them of these things accom-
plshed Scarcely hand was raised to
help lift the burden which the party by
their consent and approval had assumed.
Instead they have filled the air with
nostrums, the acceptance Of which they
pronounce to be the sole test of the
progressive spirit. Instead of aiding TO
fulfil what has been solemnly promised
in the name of the people. it is pro-
claimed that the initiative. the referen-
dun and the recall of officials. including
Judges, and of judicial decisions, shall
from now on be the test OF progressive
Republic8nism."
Secretary Nagel denounced the charge
that President Taft had abandoned the
principles OF the last administration.
He declared that not one OF those things
for which critics of the administration
were now contending, had been embraced
in the last Republican platform.
"If the recall of judges and decisions
had been embodied in that platform" he
said Sit is safe to say that there We're
men then. as there are men now, who
could not stand upon such plank and
who could not support their favorite
candidate upon such platform because
they would regard these principles as
subversive of the fundamental principles
Of representative government
To President Roosevelt, said Secretary
Nagel, belonged the credit for arousing
the people to the full value of the laws
TO protect them against monopolies and |
combinations. Col Roosevelt first brought |
the interstate commerce laws into full /
effect, he said; and President Taft had /
devoted himself to carrying out the
pledges and policies inaugurated by Mr.. /
Roosevelt, and endorsed in the national |
platform of 1908.
"The pledges of that platform have
been kept" declared Secretary Nagel.
perhaps never in the history OF the Re
publican party have SO many distinct
pledges of platform been redeemed
within one administration. 1t has been
carried out with respect to its specific
promises and according TO its spirit. The
president has by every act redeemed the
pledges of the platform and his own
promises"
Further remedies were necessary, said
Secretary Nagel, to make corporation
control effective; but President Taft's
critics were giving him no aid in get
ting such remedies, he said
This task is still unfinished said
Mr.. Nagel. 1T IS pressing for decision.
1t were better that we apply ourselves
to the practical performance of so inn
portant pledge, than to fill the public
ear with vague promises for the fulfill
ment Of visionary desire. The initiative
and recall are advocated by
men who are ambitious for national Of
fee, and generally avoided by men who
have TO do with local affairs Each is
busy making promises to which he can
not be successfully held"
The adoption OF those proposals, he
said. would mean that 'the constitution,
to all intents and purposes. when its
guarantees are most needed, is abol-
shed"
1T means that the determination Of
what is right, and therefore what is
must be left to the an
.hor of the nostrum itself" said Secre- !
AIRY Nagel ut means one man power;
Is pure democracy always has meant and |
always will mean. 1t is not progressive;
is reaetionary for by its teaching every
PEOPLE that has ever experimental with
hese doctrines has gone to its destruc
ion.
at is one thing to make complaints;
{ its quite another thing to provide /,
he relief. Ii IL one thing TO entertain ,
he people with defamation; it is an.
,ther thing to formulate rule which .
5 calculated to promote the welfare of /,
he people. In the past we have never :
enied that there was much truth in Mr.. /;
}ryan's complaints; but we have de- ;
his remedies. In the field OF
Promises we have conceded him monop- :
ly. To-day we have to confess that
rites in our own ranks have not only
rosdiy accepted and enlarged upon his
omplaints, but have pre-empted and eN-
auded the doctrine of his remedies"
Secretary Nagel declared the Repub-
can party had always been progressive;
ut that "now we are asked to prove
ur allegiance to progressive principles
y jumping off the political horizon"