The Farmer And The Republican Party
Performed by William H. Taft
Recorded August 5, 1908
As the Republican platform
says, the welfare of the farmer is vital to that of
the whole country. The prosperity of the country rest
peculiarly upon the prosperity of agriculture. Just
now, one of the strongest hopes of returning good
times is based on the business which the farmers
crops are to afford. The Republican party during the
last twelve years has accomplished extraordinary work
in bringing the resources of the national government
to the aid of the farmer. He is vitally interested
in the restraining of excessive and unduly discriminating
railroad rates, in the enforcement of the Pure Food
Law, in the promotion of scientific agriculture, and
in increasing the comforts of country life as by the
extension of free rural delivery and the building
of good roads. The free delivery in the postal service
now reaches millions of our citizens and will be extended
until every community in the land receives its full
benefits. Everyone recognizes the essential and economic
advantages of good country roads maintained more and
more largely at public expense and less and less at
the expense of the abutting owner. The policies of
the present administration have most industriously
promoted all these objects and cannot fail to commend
themselves to the farmers approval. It is difficult
to see how with his intelligent appreciation of the
threats to business prosperity involved in democratic
success at the polls he can do otherwise than give
his full and hearty support to the continuation of
the policies of the present administration under Republican
auspices.