The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-01-21
TAFT DEPL0RES
 RECALL AND MANY
 OTHER MEASURES
Thinks Judges Selected Un- der Direct Primary Infer
 for to Convention Judges

Bloomington, Ind, Jan. 21.-De- claring that the country was halting in business and progress and learning the unwise steps that had been taken and needed to be retired, William H. Taft, former President, said here to- day that the people should get back to the line of justice, equity and mod 'eration. Professor Taft was the. guest of Indiana University and deliv- cred the principal address at the Founders Day exercises which cele brated the 95th anniversary of the university
 Popular indignation cannot be really aroused or the Ieyiathan of the people be stirred to action such as they have taken, and stopped short at the line of wise moderation" he said. Part of the costs of the orig .ina1 disease is in the incidental dam age from the inevitable excess of rem edies. The hostilities of legislatures and Congress, consciously or uncon= scious1y, has come to be directed against all successful investment or capital without discrimination. Moth ing is so tinafd as capital and nothing. is so easily able to take care of what it has. Inquisitoria1 and naGging character of the powers of commis- sions, created for the close supervise ion of corporate acts, have so fright ened capital as to shrink invest ments and stop the normal exchan- ges in the business of the country.
 ssThe sad feature of such excess of remedE,a continued MT Taft s'hew- ever we'll intended, is that the per- able to bear suffering-t1e wage earners, whose comfort and living are dependent upon constant employ- ment,'
 The former President defended the railroads by saying that the close and
 
 agement and the restriction upon the rates,, together with the increase or nnaintenance' of wages through the power of trades unions, have ground the railroads between the upper and neither milestone and prevented a fair return upon their capital. The sol vency of some of them is threatened and all this to the detriment of the business of the country and especially to the comfort and happiness of wage searners dependent upon normal busl- ness and normal demand for labor q
 Increased rates for the railroads. when the conditions require it, was urged by MT. Taft He said the full crew laws that ssinposedS SSupon the railroad companies the burden of eIn- ploying unnecessary labor an exac- ton due to the undue and unjust in huence exercised by the trade unions over legislatures should be repealed ;
 Professor Taft criticised many of the new reforms in governmental af- fairs and declared that the selection of candidates at 8 general primary has not tended to the elimination of corruption or political machine rule and the selection of better represen- tatives of a party
 ttCertainIy it has not said MT. Taft, with respect to the many ohces to which it applies, when the persons to be selected are not persons whose qualifications the public can, in the nature of things, have any intimate knowledge The standard of judges in those states where the candidates are selected by 8 general primary have notably and perceptibly become inferior to those who are selected un- der the old convention system '
 Mir Taft said she admitted that there were abuses under the .conven-s ton system but even at that it is more preferable in many ways than a gen eral primary. He also criticised the initiative, referendum and the recall. recall of judges.
 Tn referring to the European war, MT. Taft said that it .'staggers the imagination in the loss of life and de- struction of hard earned capital. When it came. it was such shock and such a disappointment that those who hoped for human progress lost their faith. We find occasion for hope, however, that the various suf- fersngs, which, when the war is over, will prompt the adoption Of some peaceabIe means of settling 1nterna- tiona1 disputes in order to prevent a trophe.'