Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-25
Banker Benedict l,ushes Into Print.

while President into paths where
. wealth could be obtained. is not sat
jsfied. We know this because he has
been talking for publication and while
part Of that of which he delivered
himself was not so Objectionable much
was. and among the latter was this
ridiculous talk:
These attacks upon vested inter-
ests make me feel like retiring from
business. and even from the country.
and | feel sure that. unless the un
| bridled license of the press is checked
and some restrictions put upon the con-
slant interference with corporations.
there must be within a few years per-
haps not in my own time but GER
| tainy in my sons time some radical
changes in our form of government.
| Unless there is TO be more restraint
on the unbridled license of such talk
the sooner you go Mr.. Benedict, the
better The millions you have made in
/ this country under conditions existing
in the past and which will exist in the
future, you will probably take with
YOU. except that part which you wish
to keep invested. That will probably
remain in this country because it is the
, best place for it, and you know it. You
would spend the interest abroad and
probably never reflect that this country
/ has done much more for you than it
has for some because you have been
able to have a broader share in it's pro-
| tecting and fostering care and in its en-
terprise No rational man is disposed
comes with exceedingly poor grace for
you to prate on in that paretic sort OF
way. You have said enough, we think.
to convince anyone, that the country
may rely as safely on the wisdom and
consideration of those who are not
sorry that they live here and are likely
to die here and, not being able, like
you. to leave il propose to stay here
and make the hest Of the best country
the sun ever shOne upon.
A good many are as well aware, as
Mr. Benedict, that corporations come
in for criticism and hostility, part of
which is as undeserved as that lavished
upon others than eorporationists. 1t
is a way Americans have. when cx-
pressing their minds SO freely. to occa-
sionaily overdo ii and Mr.. Benedict
Immediately procoe eds TO fall into the
habit himself. He says:
II remarked some years ago that
when legislative bodies meet prices fall,
and when they dispense prices rise
Such is the respect capital has for the
law-making bodies. This is still true
today. Look at Congress. The mo-
ment it assemblies its members begin
some agitation which they think Will
look well in the eyes of their constit-
uents. and the business interests of the
community suffer by reason of it.
That is a specimen of the unbridled
license of the press warmed over in
the speech of Banker Benedict. Yes,
look at Congress. 1t isn't Immaculate
but if Banker Benedict thinks we are |
going to abolish it right away and put |
Grover Cleveland in dictator he better
get as far and as quickly away from |
the scenes of what will he his bitter |
disappointment as it is possible for him
to get. Cleveland. himself was more |
blamable for the blight of free trade |
ideas in this country than the Demo- |
cratic Congress that passed foolish !
measure about half as bad as he want |
ed. Cleveland, himself, not Congress.
sent stocks down the scale and gold |
out of this country by his Venezuelan |
message in which he yielded himself |
to a paroxysm at wringing the lions |
tail and il was Congress that had sense |
enough to overlook his rashness and
support the principle underlying, to the
honor of the nation. 1t was the Pres |
ident, afraid to take the public into
his confidence, that negotiated bond
dicker with a syndicate and thus
aroused much of the feeling that found
vent in upholding Bryan and his dem
agoguery. Throughout it all Congress
has not done anything to imperil the
welfare of the country except that n !,
United States Senate neglected to pro-
vide a revenue. when revenue was
needed, and had as an excuse the
statements of the President and secre-
tary of the treasury. since proved false
that we did not need more revenue.
The Benedicts will not be called upon
right away to suggest improvements in
our present form of government.
When it was proposed to annex Ha-
wall those Directing protested that it
would be a grievous wrong to the poor