The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-10-10

ton There will probably have to be
national action to cure 1t. At present
it has to be left largely to the different
states under a decision of the supreme
court. In accordance with the provi-
sions and purposes of the constitution,
the states now have complete control
of the corporations. l am not familiar
with the situation here in your state.
l am familiar with it in my own state.
Two years ago | ran for governor of
New York. Against me ran an ex-
judge, Van Wyck. He was nominally
the man who ran. The real master and
leader Of the democratic party of New
York, the party under which our home
imperialism has reached such an ex-
traordinary development, was the Hon.
Ricnard Croker. Mr.. Van Wyck and
Mr.. Croker were extreme In their de-
nunciation of trusts and corporations.
They went much farther than 1 was
willing TO go, because I was hampered
by the fact that I intended my deeds
to square my words. Well, I was elect
ed
The greatest evil in New York at that
time, in connection with corporate
wealth, was the fact that some corpo-
rattons which were among the wealth.
lest, and which had gotten franchises
that gave them practically all their
wealth from the public, made no ade-
quate return to the public Such were
the street railway companies and other
corporation using the streets.
We took hold of that problem in no
vindictive, in no demagogic spirit We
took hold of 1t In the only spirit in
which 1t is safe to deal with corpora
ton or a private individual, either with
rich man or poor man, the spirit Of
doing Justice and exacting justice In re-
turn We put on the statute book 81
law which will doubtless need some
modification as experience may dictate
but which In its essence has come to
stay. 1t is a law called the franchise
tax law, under which we put upon as
sessment rolls nearly two hundred mil
lions Of property which hitherto had
improperly escaped taxation. Now, that
did not mean that we have solved the
problem connected with corporations;
but 1t did mean that we had taken a
longer single stride towards it's solution,
SO far as 1 am aware, than had yet been
taken in any state
That was done while we had control.
At that very time Mr.. Van Wyck in
speeches and Mr. Croker in interviews
had been denouncing trusts in language
altogether too extreme for me to be
willing to use, and at the very time that
they were thus denouncing trusts they
We're in the process of becoming two OF
the largest stockholders in the most in
iquitous trust in the United Srates-the
ice trust. That is, they added to pub
lie denunciation of trusts private own
ership In them.
Now, gentlemen, l spoke to you a lit
tie while back on the first quality need
ed in nations public men-honesty. I
use that term in its broadcast sense and
you can get no solution of such prob
lem as the trust problem from men who
do not appreciate that honesty, demand
that word and deed shall square with
one another.
Now let me point out just for a mo-
ment the national attitude of the two
parties on the trust question. AS | say,
at present the state alone has power to
deal with them. The states cannot deal
with them effectively; the nation must
Join. 1t can only Join by the constitu-
tional amendment. Such an amendment
was introduced into the last house Of
representatives. about June l last. 1t
received a vote of every republican but
two and against it was cast vote Of
every democrat save six of the mem
bers of the house. AS it needed a two
third vote it failed of PASSAGE and the
democratic leader, Mr.. Richardson, In
opposing the passage of the amendment
quoted with approval from a democrat
ic paper, saying that the democracy
could not afford to pass that constitu-
tional amendment because IL 1t did so II
would take the trust issue out Of the
coming campaign.
You do not have to take my word for
that; 1t is in the Congressional Record,
the vote and the speeches. 1t is there
about June 1 to June I'll think it Is
June A. Your congressman can give
you a copy of the Congressional Rec
ord
Now, gentlemen, deeds, not words, are
what count When you note the deeds
you do not have to pay much attention
to the words