National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-08
The New York Tribune and Secretary
Window.

The New York Tribune and Secretary
Window.
The New York Tribune assures the
country that although cit has been
thought by some that Secretary Win
dom's views in regard to the treatment of
corporations would prove injurious to
important railroad and other enter
prises," there need not necessarily be any
fear that those much oppressed interests
will languish, for, says the great corpora
ton organ, the treatment of all ques-
tions ofthat nature will rest, not with the
Secretary of the Treasury, but with Sec
retary of the Interior Kirkwood, or with
Attorney-General MacVeagh"
Secretary Window wrote a letter on
the 10Th of last month to the president of
the National Anti-Monopoly League, i'll
response to an invitation to address
meeting at Cooper Institute, in New
York city, on the 2lst. He regretted his
inability to be present and speak, and
gave an earnest expression of his views
upon the rights of the citizen against
the abuses and aggressions of corporate
power" That power he declared to be of
:. incalculable value as an instrument to
execute the will and serve the interests
of the public; but" he added, Gas the
imperious ruler of the people it is most
cruel and relentless tyrant." Again, he
said: The individual citizen is impo-
tent to contend with this gigantic and
rapidly-growing power. Governmental
authority, State and National, alone is
competent to restrain its aggressions and
correct its abuses" The brave and clear
headed then Senator also said:
This organized gigantic corporate power can
only be kept under proper restraint by the organ
lied power of the people, expressed through their
State and National Governments. That such gov
ernmental power exists and may properly be eXer-
cised have not particle of doubt. 1t is plainly
writtenin our Constitution, and has been unequiv-
ocally declared by the Supreme Court Of the
United States.
1t is the appointment of the utterer of
these grand truths to be Secretary of the
Treasury which frightens the Tribune and
causes it to assure the dealers in stocks
that no harm can come to the railroad
corporations through that officer. 1t vir-
tually tells them that Secretary of the In
terror Kirkwood and Acknowledgement
MacVeagh will stand by the corporations
in any contest they may have with "the
organized power of the people," The
Tribune may be able to speak for the At
who is understood to be
an attorney of the great Pennsylvania
Railroad Company; but as for Governor
Kirkwood, the people of Iowa have no
citizen who has been more faithful to
them than he in resisting the aggressions
of railroad corporations.
Does the Tribune mean to be understood
as lecturing General Garfield for appoint
ing Mr.. Window, because of his views
on the subject referred to? Is it sure
that it is safe to open the great struggle,
the coming of which seems inevitable?
Is the history of the slave power about
to be repeated? Will the corporations
not be content with present conditions?
viii they insist upon conformity with
their views in every department? Are
those for whom the Tribune speaks
ready to follow up its covert sneers
at Secretary Window by demanding
a drawing of the line for and against
them? On which side would they find
the President? Let them find their an
swer in his past utterances. lie has elo-
quently pointed out the very dangers
described by Secretary Window. If the
President had shared the ITiJunes So
licitude for the corporations he would not
have placed the powers of the Treasury
Department in the hands of so good a
friend of the people as is Senator Win
dom just two weeks after his letter to the
president of the Anti-Monopoly League