Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-04-16
UNITED REPUBLICAN
PARTY In '16-TAFT
CONTINUED from First Pase.1


! both Taft and the Governor smiled.
| When Professor Taft lectured in
Technical high school auditorium last
evening under the auspices of the
Academy Spectator staff, he was greet
ed by packed house.
His subject was The Signs of the
Times"
"The Signs of the Tines
While at no time during his lecture
did the former President refer to the
| 1916 campaign, his remarks were often
so pointed and his allusions to the
mistakes of the present administration
at Washington so thinly veiled, that
there wasn't a person in his audience
| who failed to realize that 'The Sign of
! the Times is the undeniable trend of
/ thought back towards a more conser-
vativc stand in politics.
"A short time ago" began the eX-
president, Il was given an opportunity
TO be contemplative and philosophical
IL was removed from office. However
! being an optimist, I took advantage of
my position to look about me and OBJ
serve the signs of the times.
Il found that in the past three de-
cades, or generation, there is to be
| discovered three distinct movements
or signs They are, first, the move
ment towards combination and concen-
tration; second, the movement towards
purer Democracy, and third, the
movement toward greater altruism-a
larger feeling of brotherhood that has
| brought great measures of fraternal-
! ISM"
Traces Nations Prosperity
Professor Taft traced the prosperity
and political fortunes of the United
States from the lowest ebb at the end
of the Civil War to the zenith ;.bout
ten years ago All this time he declar-
lasl sarN s.F A.
| combination The people of the
J United States developed with wonder
! full rapidity, he declared, and their
ingenuity resulted in many wonderful
inventions.
, Little rills and small streams of
/ savings all poured into the larger
rivers of capital until we had great
corporations" he said. MANY new
comforts came for the average man
and his condition of living rose far
| above that of Queen EliZabeth's time" ="
But" declared Professor Taft, "as
we approached the ideal in life, new
evils arose. Capitalists became intoxi-
Gated with their power. Corporations
were not satisfied with their greatness
so they merged and formed great
trusts Then they defied the people"
Here the former President digressed
long enough to say that too many men
of to-day neglect their duties as a citi-
zen DS ldlHnS 10 30 10 Ine polls TO cast
their votes.
Neglect Electoral Rights
Such conditions as L have describ-
ed" he asserted, were permitted to
exist because we-the people-were all
looking to the material things in life.
| We neglected our electoral rights We
left things up to those who made run
ming the government their business
because it was to their profit"
| The election of MckInleV IN 1895
was called great moral victory for
the people of the United States by
the eX-President 1t was at this time,
he declared, that the people became
awakened and began to assert their
right TO rule.
The development OF the Interstate
Commerce act was traced by the lee
turer. 1t was twenty years before
the people obtained Just what they
wanted" ne said, but they got it,"
If you tritie with the people," de-
clared Mr.. Taft, when they are clear
and know what they want-well, it's
worse than a buzz-saw."
Benefit of Antitrust Law
He traced the development of the
antitrust law ana showed what bene-
ticial results it has brought to the
common people. Some people say
that law is a failure" he exclaimed.
Yes, there are a lot of men who go
notice they are obeying it. The oil trust
and the tobacco trust, they are obey
ing it. Why, now 60 per cent of the
oil is refined by independent refiners.
! yet while the oil trust was in exist
ance only Is per cent was refined by
these independent refiners"
Professor Taft condemned the CLAW
ton Ball and Trade Commission act
passed by the present Congress as un-
necessary. Workmen'S compensation
and child labor bills were commend
esA They'll work out" he declared.
The full crew bill was termed an act
that imposes a heavy burden upon the
railroads without providing the proper
commission to decide how many men
should be placed on each train.
Lauds Labor Unions
Labor unions were lauded as having
| brought wonderful improvement to
| the conditions among wage-earners.
The political power of these unions.
Professor Taft declared, is very great
and has been "deftly used to the great
benefit of workingmen."
| He declared, however hat all power
must be restrained, whether it be in a
trust or in union. The gist of popu-
lar government. he declared, is the
exercise of just and common power {"
The initiative. referendum and re-
call were condemned as weak theories
and as un-American. why can't we
face these truths in our government
affairs, as we would in our own busi-
ness" he asked. why can we be