The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-01-21
Former President Says
People Should Go
Back to Justice. Equi-
ty and Moderation
CAPITAL NAGGED
BY LEGISLATORS
Investors frightened and Investments
Shrink. Stopping the Normal Ex-
pansion in the Business of the Coun-
try-Against Full Crew Laws
By Associated Press.

Bloomington, Ind, Jan. 21.-Declar-
ing that the country was halting in
business and progress and learning the
unwise steps that had been taken and
needed to be retraeed. William IL. Taft,
former President, said here to-day that
the people should go back to the line
of justice, equity and moderation. Prof.
Taft was the guest of Indiana Univer-
sity and delivered the principal address
at the founders day exercises which
celebrated the ninety-hfth anniversary
of the university.
1--WE need not go back to the con-
ditions that led to the great reforms
and we shall not do so, said Mr..
Taft. Corporations have been driven
out of politics and, while, of course,
corruption is not ever absent, the dan
ger of plutocracy has disappeared and
the publication of politics has consti-
tuted real reform for which all good
citizens must be grateful.
The Nagging at Capital
Popular Indignation cannot be
really aroused or the Leviathan of the
people be stirred to action, such as they
have thus taken, and stopped short at
the line of wise moderation. Part of
the costs of the original disease is in
the incidental damage from the inevi-
table excess of remedies. The hostility
of Legislatures and Congress, con-
sciously or unconsciously, has come to
be directed against all successful in
vestment of capital without diserimina-
ton. Nothing is so timid as capital
and nothing is so eager to care for
what it has. The inquisitorial and
nagging character of the powers of
eommis sion, created for the close super
vision of corporate activities have so
frightened capital as to shrink invest.
ments and stop the normal expansion in
the business of the country.
Wage Farmers Suffer Most
The sad feature of such excess of
remedy continued Mr.. Taft, Chow
ever, well intended is that the persons
who suffer most are the least able TO
bear sutfering-the wage earners.
whose comfort and living are depend
ent upon constant employment
The former President defended the
railroads by saying that the close and
absolute supervision over the manage.
ment and the restriction upon the rates.
together with the increase or mainte
nance of ''wages through the power of
unions, have ground the railroads be-
tween the upper and lower milestone
and prevented a fair return upon their
capital. The solvency of some of them
is threatened and all this to the detri.
ment of the business of the country
and especially to the comfort and han
Plness of wage earners, dependent upon
normal business and normal demand
for labor
Should Repeal Full Crew Laws
Rate increases for the railroads.
when the conditions require it. was
urged by Mr.. Taft. He said the full
crew laws that Imposed upon the
railroad companies the burden of EN-.
Ploying unnecessary labor, an exaction
due to the undue, and unjust influence
exercised by the trade unions over Leo.
1slatures, should be repealed.
Professor Taft criticised manv of the
new reforms in governmental affairs
and declared that the selection of can.
dldates at a general primary has not
tended to the elimination of eorrnn+ion
or political machine rule and the selec.
tion OF better representatives of a
party.