Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-04-14
PETERS AT PORTLAND.
Summary of Address Before Portland
Club Last Week.

worth, Monday OF last week addressed the
Portland club at Portland. OF this speech
Portland paper says: Seldom has any
speaker who has addressed this club
aroused more enthusiasm or received a
more cordial welcome than did Mr.. Peters.
He said in part:
When Congress adjourned March a
sigh of relief went up all over the country.
The tired business man discerned a period
of rest during which ne could try to adj
just himself to the new conditions with
which recent national legislation sur
roundshim.
be to pass such laws as are necessary to
the prosperity and welfare OF the country;
to adapt national legislation to the pro-
gress, advancement and changing coudi-
TORS OF the people; to remove impede
ments that may exist to their activities
and well being; to finance the activities Of
the national government by raising the
be least burdensome to the people; to
stimulate the normal expansion OF BUSH
ness ard trade; to curb the depredations
of the wicked and interruptions, but al
ways to foster and promote that liberty,
political and social, which we inherited
from the fathers and which distinguishes
us from many OF the old world nations,
like Germany, for example.
What has this last Congress done along
these liness II has had q wonderful OPP
portunity and plenty OF time. 1t came
into being with q majority OF the same
political faith in both branches and q
President of the same party, and ! will
say, what believe to be true, that they
were backed by the good will and the best
wishes OF the right-thinking people OF the
country, regardless Of party. They have
been in almost continuous cooperation
for two years.
IL any credit is to be attached to their
accomplishments the democratic party is
entitled to It'll any blame, that party
must take it, because legislation has been
strictly by party.
Everybody knows how the tariff bill
was framed; that the democratic caucus
and the democratic members OF the ways
and means committee built their own bill
separate and apart from the republicans,
and when it was finished called in their
fellow members and allowed them to look
it over for few moments. 1 happened to
be a member OF the committee on insular
affairs, and saw the way the Philippine bill
was framed 1t was typical
OF all the great measures passed or at
tempted to be passed by this Congress.
1t is said that opportunity knocks once
at every mans door. There was loud
knocking at the democratic door in 1912,
but did they hear it?
1t seems to me that the democratic party
began by going back on its ancient tradi-
tions. l was taught that the republican
party was tor a strong ce ntralized govern
was lodged in the people who could ex-
ercse II through their representatives in
Congress; that'the democratic party was
the party of strict construction of the
constitution and for state rights. jackson
was against a national bank on that
ground. The democratic national plat
form has declared that protective plat
lOl III III taAfl INV 40
But no Congress that ever lived has in
terfered so much with the industrial and
financial affairs of the people as the sixty
third. No party has ever proposed such
paternalisfic, socialistic and reaching
measures as has the democratic in this
Congress.
Beginning with the new tariff law,
shipping bill, which they tried desper-
ately to pass, their record shows that their
traditions, past theories and declarations
are no more to be trusted than their plat
form, and the latter they regard no more
than s'scraps of paper.
Protection is unconstitutional The
democrats proceed to protect the indus
tries OF the South and rip us wide open in
the North. Their Federal Trade commits
sion is enough to make Thomas Jefferson
turn over in his grave. 1t is given auto
cratic power over the business OF this
country. Its powers are so far-reaching
that it leads the Washington Post to re-
mark that the knowledge and ability re-
quired by the five members of this COM
tnicbiou STSatcI luhn stuOec required
OF any court in the United States, not ex-
cepting the supreme court, and greater
than are possessed or expected of Congress
itself'. Its function is to regulate COM
petition in the business OF the country
and prevent its being ''unfair''. Cor
porations, business syndicates, partner
ships and individuals come under its juris-
diction. 1t has power to inspect all books
and papers, compel written reports and
ublish what it thinks best, except trade
secrets. The administration has gone into
the railroad business on a large scale in
Alaska, the first time in the history of the
country.
Some OF the rural credits propositions
fortunately killed or at least postponed)
would have exhausted the treasury and
given us a ''war tax" every year. Govern
ment guarantee of farm loans will have
strong democratic backing next De-