NEWS WORTH REMEMBERING
News Worth Remembering THE stirring political campaigns being waged all over the country have not lessened public interest in the actions and declarations of Theodore Roosevelt. Wherever Mr....
...Roosevelt, it "deprived the men of their liberty to work—under unhygienic conditions...
...passage of laws prohibiting the use of corporate funds directly or indirectly for political purposes...
...William Allen White is credited with the authorship of the platform which, in brief, pledges the party to the following program: Tariff To carry out the declarations of the Republican national platform of 1908 with respect to tariff revision, "accepting the policy of protection as outlined in our party platform as the established policy of this nation, and binding our members of Congress in both Houses to vote steadfastly and without reference to any other instructions for a revision of the tariff law of 1909, using as a basis for fixing duties the difference between the cost of production at home and abroad, with a reasonable profit for American manufacturers...
...The platform represents the people's ideas as shown in the primary vote...
...A number of bills, introduced in the last Congress which provided for transfer to the states of water power sites in national forests, ware termed unwise and disastrous legislation...
...direct primaries coupled with corrupt practices acts...
...Roosevelt pointed out that this position is taken only because selfish interests know that it will be an easy matter to gain control of immense resources because of the laxity of the state governments and because separate states, even though vigilant, are in many cases without constitutional power to conserve water powers, forests, and public lands that if wisely dealt with would be of benefit to the commonwealth to which they rightly belong...
...Overcapitalization "We pledge our Kansas Republican Senators and Congressmen to vote and work for effective laws that will prevent overcapitalization of corporations ana will divert all moneys received for the sale of stocks and bonds to actual investments in construction and extension or betterment of property owned by corporations...
...increase of the power of the federal bureau of corporations and the interstate commerce commission to control industry more effectively...
...readjustment of the nation's financial system in such a way as to prevent repetition of periodical financial panics...
...Since this happened those who were most active in pushing the charge against Mr...
...Tucker's integrity and their own belief that he was innocent of wrongdoing...
...Condemns Crooks in Both Parties At Kansas City, Mo., Mr...
...Contrary to expectation, the railroad officials who testified made little effort to show a large increase in the operating expenses, or to show that the present rates were confiscatory and meant bankruptcy...
...Those who would attempt to turn over the greater part of the burden of conservation to the separate states were denounced...
...Roosevelt "We send our greeting to Theodore Roosevelt, the new world's champion of the rights of man in the world-old contest between rising humanity and the encroachments of special privilege...
...After the council had adjourned, Senator Bristow said...
...Senator La Follette, Governor Davidson, Bank Commissioner Bergh, Secretary of State Frear, and other prominent officials, without regard to political affiliations, issued public statements affirming Mr...
...The actual purpose of the movement, he said, was to "preserve the general welfare" by preventing one man or any group of men from monopolizing what rightfully belongs to the whole community...
...Senator Curtis, standpatter, attempted to defeat several of the progressive planks, but was completely overwhelmed...
...Campaign Charge Causes Candidate's Death Frank T. Tucker, the progressive Republican candidate for nomination as attorney general in the Wisconsin primaries, met his death on the 1st by drowning...
...He defined the great issue before the American people as "the doing away with special privilege in all its forms...
...His friends feared a breakdown...
...And as Republicans we stand ready to enlist under his banner in the fight for human rights...
...comprehensive workmen's compensation acts, state and national laws to regulate child labor and the work of women, enforcement of better sanitation conditions for workers and the extension of the use of safety appliances in industry...
...and to vote for a joint resolution that will promote the revision of the tariff, one schedule at a time...
...In his speeches in that city, Mr...
...publicity of campaign contributions before elections...
...In state affairs the platform declares in favor of the intiative, the referendum and the recall...
...Among the many progressive and radical acts for which he declared were the following: Elimination of special interests from politics...
...It puts the Kansas Republicans on record as being in favor of the most progressive national legislation...
...Roosevelt made a speech detailing the things which he considers of vital importance to the welfare of the nation...
...We do not recognize the revision of the tariff of 1909 as a satisfactory fulfillment of the tariff pledge of the Republican platform...
...The next morning his body was found in the river and his hat and handbag on the bridge...
...The Bureau of Mines is in the Department of the Interior...
...Conservation Means Wise Use" Although Mr...
...The nominees of the primary election met in party council on that day and gave vigorous expression to insurgency...
...Roosevelt preached unceasing war on dishonesty, —without regard to party lines, and acknowledging that corruption exists not only by reason of the criminality of the rich and powerful but also through the corruptibility of men of lower rank...
...He uttered strong criticism of the United States Supreme Court for two decisions which it has rendered...
...The adoption of this system was especially urged in developing Alaskan coal lands...
...These same men, he said, who now urge state control, would quickly deny that the states possessed such power if it became apparent that they actually were intent upon conserving their resources for the benefit of all...
...They made their strongest plea to be allowed to advance rates, on the ground that the present return of six to eight per cent, on the stock and bond issues was so low as to impair their credit and make impossible the improvements and better service that are really required...
...One of the decisions criticized declared unconstitutional laws that had been passed by the state of New York for the purpose of safeguarding the health of those who work in bakeries...
...The insinuation contained in this story—that Tucker was guilty of stealing state property—was generally discredited...
...Roosevelt was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of 50,000 people who welcomed him in the midst of a heavy rain which was falling when he left his special train...
...Roosevelt is to give his views on the same subject in St...
...He declared that while ostensibly guarding the constitutional rights of certain interests, it had worked great injury to the mass of citizens...
...He denied that the purpose of conservation or that the effect of it is to limit individual enterprise, or that it proposed to "tie up natural resources, depriving this generation of their benefits in order to hand them on untouched to the next...
...Tucker committed suicide while driven temporarily insane by a campaign "roorback...
...and, perhaps most advanced of all, the use of the recall for the prompt removal of unfaithful and incompetent public servants...
...It is said that his appointment was held up for a long time by the opposition of Mr, Ballinger, who believes that Dr...
...extension of the work of the department of agriculture anil of agricultural colleges and experiment stations so as to take in all phases of farm life...
...Tucker's campaign literature had been sent out in envelopes belonging to the state, and bearing the return card of the state fire marshal...
...State's Rights" Ruse Exposed He declared...
...And to "work for laws that will give the Interstate Commerce Commission authority over the issue of stocks and bonds of common carriers...
...A week ago a Madison newspaper printed a sensational story that some of Mr...
...Criticizes Supreme Court Decisions In his other Denver addresses, Colonel Roosevelt praised the work of the forest and reclamation services, and defended them from the charges made by "selfish private interests" angered by their activity in saving to the nation resources of great value...
...graduated income and inheritance taxes, increasing as the fortunes assessed grow larger...
...The court decided that the legislation was unconstitutional because, said Mr...
...He advocated retention by the government of title to all mineral, and public lands containing water power sites and other resources of national importance, the government to lease these rights to individuals to develop on a basis that will amply reward their energy but which will safeguard the rights of the whole people, and prevent monopoly...
...He began his address by making apparent the necessity for the exercise of care in disposing of great natural resources now in the hands of the government...
...Reforms Urged In Kansas Platform Kansas Republicans adopted a progressive platform on August 30...
...Tucker have been protesting that they "always believed Tucker innocent" and that he was the victim of a "frame-up" or of "some fool friend...
...House Rules Congressmen Murdock and Madison are endorsed for their efforts to change the House Rules and break down the Cannon machine, and the Kansas delegation in the next Congress is ple ged to "support and vote for a rule that will make the membership of the more important committees elective instead of appointive...
...For a time it was believed that the directorship of the new bureau would be given to a man who shared Secretary Ballinger's views of "strict construction," but the President's selection of Holmes is looked upon as a concession to the people's idea of conservation...
...personal responsibility of officers and directors of corporations for any violation of law...
...The statement was also made that rates were so low, that the railroads had not participated in the general prosperity of the country, and that the increases were so small as to make it possible for the companies to rehabilitate their lines and to pay slightly larger dividends, without burdening the consuming public or the shippers...
...complete and effective publicity of corporation affairs...
...I could not be better satisfied with the Republican council...
...President Ripley, of the Santa Fe, testified that to duplicate his railroad system at the present time would require more than the total outstanding stocks and bonds of the Santa Fe...
...This was denied by the railroad men, who pointed to the fact that the Interstate Commerce Commission has supervision of all their book-keeping and settles the manner in which accounts are kept...
...Tucker brooded over it...
...The Kansas delegation in Congress is pledged to support the election of United States Senators by direct vote of the people...
...He stated the issue of the day as "the struggle of free men to gain and hold the right of self-government as against the special interests who twist the methods of free government into machinery for defeating the popular will...
...On the 31st he went to Oshkosh, to hear Senator Dolliver's speech...
...He believes that in such decisions lie a grave menace to the whole system of popular government...
...government supervision of the capitalization not only of public service corporations but of all corporations doing an interstate business...
...Holmes has been indorsed by mine operators and miners' organizations...
...Our platform shall be a guarantee of performance rather than a confession of faith...
...Roosevelt Advocates Recall On August 31 at Osawatomie, Kansas, surrounded by leaders of insurgency, in a state where progressive men and principles have recently won a magnificent victory, Mr...
...He said that what the business of the country requires, urgently, is not a reduction of rates, but better service and better equipment, including safety appliances...
...taft selects holmes Joseph A. Holmes, close friend of Gif-ford Pinchot, James A. Garfield, and F. H. Newell has been appointed by the President to the directorship of the new bureau of mines...
...clear division of authority between the national and state governments...
...Roosevelt has stopped on his present tour, he has been greeted enthusiastically by huge crowds, who attest the hold he has upon their friendship by clamoring for speeches, and, in many cases, by cheering for "Roosevelt in 1912...
...Holmes had a hand in the "conspiracy" which resulted in the Pinchot-Ballinger Congressional investigation...
...revision of the tariff, one schedule at a time, on the basis of information furnished by an expert tariff commission...
...Investigating Rate Increases In Chicago on August 30 Examiner G. N. Brown of the Interstate Commerce Commission began the taking of testimony regarding the increase in railway rates recently promulgated by practically all the roads in the country...
...Circumstances surrounding this tragedy indicate that Mr...
...Tucker's political opponents continued to spread the charge throughout the state...
...In the platform the candidates declare that "we bind ourselves to specific future performances rather than to ask for votes by reason of our past achievements, however great these may be...
...Conservation "We pledge our Kansas Republican Congressmen and Senators to vote on all measures concerning of our natural resources along the lines advocated by former President Roosevelt, as opposed to the lines laid down by those who are hiding behind the outworn doctrine of state's rights, and we demand that every possible effort be made to prevent private interests from obtaining unrestricted ownership or unchecked control over the vast mineral and water and timber resources of Alaska...
...Kansas Senators and Congressmen are pledged to work and vote for a permanent, non-partisan tariff commission...
...The shippers have not yet been heard, but in cross examining the railroad witnesses an attempt was made to show that figures had been juggled to make operating expenses appear larger and revenues smaller than they really were...
...for state control of natural resources only where one state alone is interested and where it alone can exercise jurisdiction...
...Paul, at the Conservation Congress, he took occasion at Denver to outline his position on the subject of conservation...
Vol. 2 • September 1910 • No. 36
