The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-04-29
SENATOR eEvER,DcE's SPEECH.

Minneapolis Journal: The speech
made by Senator Beverage yesterday
before the Indiana republican state
convention raj a sturdy and unim-
peachable presentation Of the progress
sive republican principles.
II he spoke for the administration,
as is stated, the administration has
no need to weaken 1t one iota by adj
verse criticism, for the speech re
flected, certainly, the spirit and prac-
tice Of the administration. 1t was a
declaration Of that admirable spirit
Of the party which so tempers its radi-
calism with certain restraints Of con-
servatism, that the forward move
ment destroys nothing which ought to
stand and be utilized, while 1t gathers
momentum in the accomplishment of
b%enefcent departures from the old
methods which have had their day
and are ready to perish. The repub-
lican party has directed all the trans
formations which have impelled this
nation forward through the last forty
years, because 1t was conceded by the
nation to be the party Of action. 1t
is such today and, If anybody thinks
that the current attrition on the sub
ject Of the Cuban bill is going to i'm
pair the strength Of the party to It's
undoing, he knows not the material
of which the party is made.
Senator Beverage, In his speech, In
no uncertain tones emphasized the
portion of President Roosevelts an.
nual message to- congress dealing with
combinations Of capital generally call
ed trusts. The president distinctly
declared that the trusts growing out
Of changed conditions Of trade and In
a period when the world demanded
that great things shall be done, should
not be prohibited and abolished"
but supervised and, within reasonable
limits, controlled and placed under.
the headlightt1cf publicity. Senator
Beveridge declared as to these com
binations that 1--WE insist that the tree
shall not be felled because Of its evils;
when combinations of capital attempt
arbitrarily to raise prices from mo-
tives of greed, they must be prevent
ed, punished; apply a remedy-do not
administer a medicine or DEATH" The
Sherman antitrust law, he commended,
must be applied a o%utrance, and II It
is broad, wise and modern enough, 1t
will reach the evils complained Of
Otherwise it will have to- be cast into
the limbo of inutilities and a law
which will prove effective must be
placed on the books. The senator
named the proposed department Of
commerce as the coming agency OF
national supervision Of national in.
dustries, which twill finally super
wise every trust that does business
throughout the nation"
Significant was the senator's intima-
ton that reciprocity with Cuba was
only the beginning of an expansion
OF that policy to amplify u export
trade and strong his i~nsistence that
the "scuttle" policy OF the democrats
as to the Philippines is " a policy Of
decrepitude, a proposition Of dis
grace"
So far as the action by the govern
ment in bringing the antitrust law
in operation against certain combina-
lions is concerned, the president is
absolutely consistent with his"public
declarations. He has nc purpose OF
Gripping any combination OF capital
acting within the law, but he is de-
termined that, where any trust is VIC
lating the law against restraint Of
trade, he will bring 1t to time II the
existing law Is able to do 1t.