The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-07-16
A Sham Battle In Politics.

! - Asnangton, ~. W, July S.--Chair-
man Griggs, os the Democratic Con-
greasional Committee, signalixed his
return to headquarters to- day By blow
ing holes in President Roosevelt .
ANTITRUST balloon. Judge Griggs, in
ms good. .natured way, proceeds to
rldieule the Presidents belated zeal
against trusts, and at the same time
hurls few stubborn facts at the
PRESIDENT and the Republican party
on the subject Of trusts. 81 see the.
PRESIDENT has declared that be is to
make war on trusts" said Judge
Grggs. "a fight conducted by the
Republican party against these mo-
nopoiies would be nothing more than
. sham battle, end I have too much
confidence in the good judgment aud
common sense Of the American people
TO believe that they will be fooled by
this sort OF campaign bluff. For six
yaara the Republican party has haen
in absolute power. It has controlled
the Senate, the House Of Representa-
tives and the executive departments
OF the Government. For seven months
Congress-, Republican in both branch
es, has been in session, yet not one
sentence, not one word, not one sylla-
BILE OF legislation has been undertaken
for the suppression of trusts. Now,
four days after the adjournment OF
Congress and five months before it is
to meet again, with "a great national
campaign coming on, in which the
people are to decide who are the
friends of the trusts, the President
sallies forth, armed a.pie, to as
sault the trusts. Mark you, he did
OF send: message to Congress. but
iastead took occasion to go TO Pitts
burg and deliver his proclamation in
that city.
"The Democratic party sent mes
sage TO Congress while that body was
in session, although we had no au-
thority to do so. We sent it from
our caucus and upon this same ques.
tion Of trusts. Every Democrat in
the House voted against adjourning
until some Legislation was enacted
which would curtail the power Of gi-
gantic monopolies, and every Repub-
lican voted to go home without taking
any such action leaving them to
plunder the people for time longer.
We voted to remain here. fit should
be all summer, for the purpose Of en-
acting an antitrust Law. But now.
after Congress has adjourned, the
President buckles on his armor and
starts out to fight the trusts. It is
all big bluff, as they say in poker
parlance, it is a 'eour-fush,' and / do
not believe that anyone will be de-
,eived by it. |
And what is the remedy which
The President suggests? Why it is
publicity. Publicity is nothing more
han moral suasion, which would have
about as much effect upon trust as |
t would have upon highwayman. |
never knew moral suasion cause a |
'obber to desist from holding up his |
7ictim and I cannot see whereit would |
'e any more effective with the trusts. |
Nhet is needed is the strong arm of |
he law in both cases. We have the |
Republican party on the run upon this
'reat question Of trusts, and we pro-
,ose to keep them running and see
hat they do not hide behind any such |
limsy shelter as the President put up
u his Pittsburg speech
Judge Griggs expects to go to rew
York the latter part of this week to
onfer with the Democratic leaders in |
hat city.