Evening star., 1902-09-01

present contentedness to keep the trusts
from becoming an issue
"A more general confirmation Of this view
Is had IN Boston. / should say that the
New England sentiment with regard to
trusts is more pronounced than in any part
OF the country. This was a surprise. 1t
may be due to local conditions or to the
seIf-compIacent notion that the New Eng
land intellect is lap ahead of the rest of
the United States in foreseeing coming
questions.
The cause Is not important. The fact Is
patent. Massachusetts, and her nelghbors
hives Of industry that they are, clearly
recognize that the trusts a live issue
1 gather this not only from the newspaper
discussion. but from the unanimity of the
opinions heard In private. Remedies dis
cussed may be in the realms of vagueness,
but there is almost universal belief that
an evil exists for which a remedy must be
found by legislation.
The Presidents Speeches.
President Roosevelt may have had hint
of this feeling when he chose the cities Of
Providence and Boston for making the
most specific declarations that have come
from him regarding the trusts. His
speeches and his trip have helped him i'm
mensely Notwithstanding his Harvard as
sociations the disposition in New England
has been to look somewhat askance on the
rough rider outfit in the White House Now
that the President has been seen IN 1rOch
coat and dignified by the attendance of
state and local officials there is a more sat
fshed feeling. A verdict would be that New
England culture approves, while the masses
have been stirred to an uncommon pitch of
respectful enthusiasm.
The Presidents homiles have been well
received. but the real interest has been in
what he had to say on public affairs, and
chief of these has been the trusts Whether
publicity and a constitutional amendment
are adequate remedies or not Is not the
question. What pleases is that President
Roosevelt has recognized the trusts
issue which must be dealt with, and so do
Boston and the greater part of New Eng
land. especially the manufacturing dis
tricts.
In one sense the chief magistrate Is for
tunate in the criticism which he gets, for
it Is friendly and suggestive criticism and
not mere faultfnding- Some objection has
been raised that he does not include tariff
revision as a part of his proposed trust
regulation, but this Is partisan. New Eng
land seems to want tariff revision for diff
ferent reason 1t Is especially anxious for
reciprocity It supported the Presidents
Cuban policy on moral and sentimental
grounds rather than from selfish motives,
for Its manufacturers do not appear to
know that Cuba offers a good opening for
boots and shoes. and that when the cotton
mills cease to unload merely surplus stock
or patterns made for the Hottentots. but
adapt their products to the demands of the
consumers, they can compete with the En-
ghsh cotton mills in the Cuban market.
Reciprocity with Canada has more force
than Cuban trade relations, and there is a
disposition to ask the western farmer and
hides
While the executive is subjected to mild
criticism for his silence on these subjects
jhlS does not lessen the support given him
for his stand with regard to the trusts
Plainly that has strengthened his influence
in New England. 1t is equally plain that
II has increased the uneasiness and the
Ne vh *
now TO the forefront In the control Of the
republican party organization. This may
not De OF serious consequence in states
Where the rnaJortties are so large that there
IS room not only for difference of opinion
but for liberty Of action without losing the
majority.
The democratic minority is still so de-
cidedly the minority that l have not been
able to find much trace Of it. Rumors oc-
castonally are heard of it's proposed reor-
ganfzation along the lines of a patriotic
opposition party, but it doesn't seem to
have any more principle policy here
than IN Mr. Bryan's preserves I have been
told as sign of the times Slat democratic
candidates for state offices showing
rivalry. and that there is some eagerness
TO take the congressional nominations This
may be because the weakness in the replIb-
Ican organization is seen from the local
standpoint. 1t certainly is not from any
confidence in the policies of the democratic
party as a national organization. Presi-
dent Roosevelt has no cause TO fear loss
OF strength through democratic gains in
New England on national questions.
The General Situation.
The general situation as 1t is developing
and as It Will continue to develop If It
spreads along the lines OF New England
sentiment will be to place the President
and the people on one side and the present
party leaders on the other side. The an
tagonism viii not be as concrete or as
definite as in the case of Cuban reciprocity,
but 1t exists I found the New York view
quite outspoken. In day spent in Lower
Broadway fringing Wall street 1t was
given me sometimes In questions, sometimes
IN answers, always crisp and frank. Here
Il IS:
Were making money. Everybody has a
job that wants it. What's the use of spoil
ing good thing when its good for us allo
No politics for US this year We don't care
d-n what party controls Congress.
Roosevelt may preach conservatism, and
continue TIL the cows come home. but when
he talks legislation TO regulate us he starts
a crusade against vested interests and this
crusade ne won't be able TO control. We're
going To thwart him"
Anybody who has had occasion TO talk
with the Wall street crowd will recognize
this nutshell. composite interview They
would Just as lief not see the House of
Representatives democratic, and with the
possible exception Of New York there is
not state election in which they feel any
concern They have no notion of opposing
Rooseveits denomination. If at one time
they hoped to rally the "conseryatiye'
financial influences to Senator Hanna. that
scheme was ended by the senator himself
refusing 10 encourage it. Now they are
glad they didn't try it Said one specula-
tive nnancier: Mark has put himself out
OF IL We wouldn't stand his interference
IN the coal strike. and his labor addresses
make him walking delegate to us
In brief. the plan is simply to work
through the party leaders. antagonizing and
thwarting President ROOsevelt's recon-
mendations- Said the same broker, speak
ing Oh the trusts: We might join In the
chorus and cuss EN- little during the
campaign. but We won't stand a continuous
performance"
so the program is husks for fodder
CHARLES NJ. PEPPER