Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-09-10
RADICALS HALT
TRUE PROGRESS
SAYS v. /. TAT 7.
Points Out Unwisdom of Attacks
on Representative Gov
ernment
PARTIES ESSENTIAL TO
POPULAR GOVERNMENT
Political Tendencies of Day Are
Discussed by Former
5f President

Discussed by Former
.5f President
Seattle WASH, Sept 9.-Former
President William H. Taft today told
the American Bankers Association, in
convention here, that practically ali
of the radical reforms attempted in
connection with politics, railroads ana
'!big business had failed Of their pur-
pose, causing the nation to halt in it's
progress. land that there must now be
"retracing to the line Of moderation
and Justice"
In giving an economic and politi-
cal summary of the generation just
closing Mr.. Taft said that the latest
outstanding feature appeared to be
the widespread growth of che spirit
of the brotherhood Of man, despite
the fact that the war has shattered
the dreams of universal peace.
Growth Of Combinations.
In his opening remarks Mr.. Taft
outlined the growth of large com5ina-
tions in business their successful
adoption to politics, and how the
"chase for the dollar" had absorbed
all the people a,ntil they suddenly re-
allied they were almost in the grasp
of plutocracy. 1t was then that agl.
tation for reforms swept the country,
he said, and public indignation became
acute.
"The .leviathan of the people cannot
be stirred to such action as has been
taken and stop short at the line OF
moderation said Mr. Taft. "The hcf:>
tility OF legislatures and congress
came to be directed against all Sue
cessful investment of capital without
discrimination. Nothing is SO timid
as capital and nothing is so easily
able to take care of what it mas"
He then said that Gepiorab,e fea-
ture of such excess of remedy was
that the wage earners suffered most.
Railroad Regulation.
"The close and absolute supervision
over the management of railroads,
said Mr. Taft, "and the restriction up
on the rates charged by them in in
terstate commerce and ir commerce
within states, together with the in
crease in cost of maintenance and OF
wages through the efforts OF LABOR
unions has ground the railroads be-
tween the upper and neither mill
stones. ALI this is to the detriment OF
the business of the country, and es-
pecially to the comfort and happiness
of the wage earners dependent on nor
NAL business and normal demand for
labor.
All In Same Boat.
eve are all in the same boat. The
prosperity of one class is dependent
on the prosperity of all. This is no
reason why we should not repress in
Justice and punish abuse of power.
But it is reason Why we should not
indulge in excess. srist ai-
1--WE must promptly grant increased
rates to the railroads when conditions
REQUIRE it. We must not allow the
outrageous injustice to continue Ey
which we inaugurate the real reform
of parcels post, and do 1t at the cost
of the railroads by compelling them
to carry the enormous increases o.
traffic for nothing. We should repeal
the full crew bills that impose upon
the railroads the burden of employing
unnecessary labor. In curing these ex-
cesses there is no reason why We
should not retain the real progress
we have made in dethroning plutocra'
cy"
Mr.. Taft said tha. conditions identi-
cal with those affecting the railroads
we're to be found in all lines of busi.
ness where large combinations OF lr'
yestment have been made.
Another mcst important develop
ment in this country mas been an at
tack upon our representative system
of government as a cause OF the cor
porate and corrupt control of politics.
II was said that the system involved
the selection Of agents by the people
to act for them in executive and le'sls-
lative work who too often proved faith
less and that the only method OF
carving on the government safely
was to dispense with legislative agents
and let the people legislate directly.
Initiative and Referendum.
"A most formidable wave OF public
CplnlOn IN IdVOi VI ouCii {.
swept the country and found express
sion in the initiative and referendum
After a study of the working OF THESE
innovations, do not hesitate 10 say
that it proves the unwisdom OF s'lcl
changes. If it be true that people
have not information and intelligence
to select from their own number com
petent and honest agents to do their
work, they certainly have not the
capacity to perform the much more
difficult task of passing useful ludg-
ments on statutes, frequently dit1lcult
to cunstrue or understand. Again
the duty imposed upon the people in
legislating by initiative and refefen-
dunn is so much more burdensoms
than that imposed by the representa-
tive system in selecting agents to do
1Continued on Page FOur.)