The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-09-09
Ex- President Says More
Strenuous Efforts of Re-
formers Have Injured Bust
ness and Blockaded Pro-
gress.
THINKS MANY STEPS
MUST BE
People, Once Started, Cannot
Be Stopped, Says Mr.. Taft;
and This Constitutes Re-
forms Chief Danger.

49, NNANANH " W ANN'A
President william n. TAFT today told
the American Bankers association. IN
convention here. that practically All
Of the radical reforms attempted In
connection with politics, railroads and
big business had failed or their pur-
pose. causing the nation 10 halt In It's
progress, and that there must now
be n %"retracing to the line Of modera-
tion aud Justice
In giving an "economic M political
summary Of the generation lust clos
ing Mr.. TAFT aid that the latest out
standing feature appeared to be the
widespread growth OF the spirit 81 tho
brotherhood OF man. despite tile feet
that the war had shattered tho
dreams OF universal peace.
In his opening remarits AID. TAFT;
outlined the growth of large eDmai-
nations IN business; their successful
adoption to politics, and how the
chase for the dollar" had absorbed
all the people until they suddenly re-
allied they were almost Ia the grasp
Of a plutocracy. II was then that agi-
tation for reforms swept the country.
he said. and public indignatiun be-
came acute.
THE lcviathan OF the people cannot
be stirred to such action as has been
taken and stop short at the line Of
moderation said MI TAFT The
hostility Of legislatures and congress
came to be directed against an sue
cessful investment of capital without
discrimination. Nothing - so timid
as capital. and nothing Is so easily
J able 20 take care of whHt II has
/ He then said that u deplorable feat
uro OF such excess of remedy was that
the wage oarners suffered most.
"rhc close md absolute supervision
over the mama, ntcrt Of ral'r1adi."
said Mr. TAFT, and the restriction
upon the rates charged hy them In
Interstate commerce and IN commerce
within states. together with the in
crease IN cost OF maintenance and Ut
wages through the efforts o. labor
unions has ground the railroads he-
tween the upper and neither mill
stones. An his IL 10 the dctrimcnt
Of the business OF the country. and
especially To- the comfort and happi-
ness of the wage earners %depenleu;
on normal business and normal de
mand Tor labor.
I'VE are all In the same boat The
prosperity of one class is dependent
on the prosperity of an. This b. No
reason why we should not repIess IN.
justice and punish abuse OF power
Hut IL h. a reason why we should not
indulge In excess
we must promptly grant Increased
rates 90 the railroads when condition,
Require IL. We mus, not allow tn,
outrageous injustice "a continue bl
which we inaugurato the real reform
of parcels post. and do II a; the cos
OF the railroads by compelling then
10 carry the enormous Increase o.
traffic for nothing. We should re
peal tho fun crew bills hat impos'
upon the railroads the burden OF en-.
ploying unnecessary labor In Curinl
these excuses there Is no reason VIII,
we should not retain the rea pros.
resn we rave made In ~dcthroning plu.
tocrucy."
Mr.. Taft said that conditions iden
teal with those affecting the railroad
were 60 be found In an lines OF bust.
ness where large combinations of la.
Vestment have been made.
"AnothcB most important develop
mcnt in his country has been az at.
tack upon "a representative system
Of government M a cause uf the cor
porate and corrupt control Of poll
ties. Il was said that the system In
Yolved the selection Of agents by IN
, people to act Tor them In executive
7 ana Legislative work who too oitcl
I proved faithlcss and h "a the oni.
k method of carrying ON the govern
mcnt safely was Go dispense with leg
~islativc agents ana lee he people leg
islato directly.
"A most formidable wave of publ
opinion In favor of such "a chang
sWopt the country and found expire,
> sion In the initiative and the refer
icudum. After a study ~ the workin
lot these innovation ] do not hcsital
Go say that II proves the unwisdom ,
such changes. u 80 Do true that
people have not information ana ~
tcligcucc 60 select rom their uW
number competent ami oncst agen
10 do their work, they certainly ma,
not the capacity 60 perform the mu,
more difficult task ui passing user
Judgment on statute frequently al
ticult to construe ut %undcrstan
Again. the duty imposed upon Il
people in legislating Dog initiative ai
referendum is ~ much a burde.
some than hat imposed hy the repr
sentative system Ia selecting agents
do this work that the majority Of q
voters too frequently refuse To pc
I form their electoral duties,
The Institution of recall deals wi
|, tho executive and judicial branches
, the government with both its ops
y alton Is injurious to the public ser
" Dee. though he the case OF Judges IL
a much more dangerous
III AN executive officer Is disho
est he can in effect be recalled
Impeachment or boy criminal trial "a
Conyiction. and sentenced 10 the pei
%tcntiary Under the new system
recall an homes official. before
Ihas time 10 work and viudic,
his policies. may DO ousled By an d