THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 256, 29 April 1912, Page 5

THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY

TAFT OR ROOSEVELT ? STATE COURT CONTROL. By Cable—'Press Association —Copyright. Received 28, 5.5 p.m. London, April 27. The Times, commenting on the Presidential contest, states (l>at there is no difference between the Republicans and Democrats bo 6harply marked as that between the -Republican Party's two wings. Will the Republican Party, it asks, appeal to the country as a Radical or Conservative force? Mr. Roosevelt's nomination would imply a Radical Republican platform, and its almost certain consequence is that a ConservativeDemocratic candidate will be brought out against him, while Mr. Taft's nomination is almost certain to produce a Radical-Democratic antagonist. The difference between. Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Taft is manifested most acutely in connection with the powers of the State Courts. The discussion raises the gravest issues. If the political power which the State Courts derive from their present right of interpreting the law be an offence to the democracy, will not the time come when the political power conferred upon the Supreme Court by the Federal Constitution will also seem an offence? Mr. Roosevelt's policy is calculated to raise these speculations; hence the horror wherewith it is met. AN ATTACK ON TAFT. Received 1 20. 12.45 a.m. New York, April 28. Mr. Roosevelt, replying to Mr. Taft, said that Mr. Taft was giving way to the bosses and other privileged interests. Mr. Taft, he said, was disloyal to past friendship and also disloyal to ordinary decency and fair dealing. He alleged that Mr. Taft was guilty of crooked dealing, because of his misrepresentations of his (Roosevelt's) attitude towards trust questions.