The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1902-09-12
Gommoner Comment.
Extracts from W. }. Bryan's Paper
RoOsEvELT o. TRUsTs.

President Roosevelt has progressed
far enough in his campaign tour 10
show that he appreciates the serious
ness Of the trust issue and his discus
sion Of the subject gives evidence OF
q complete change in his method of
treatment since his elevation TO the
presidency II was quite certain from
his Minneapolis speech. delivered Just
before President McKinley's assassina-
ton, that he expected the administra-
ton 70 have prO-trust candidate and
that he fROOseTelt) expected TO make
MS night against the trusts and ap-
peal to the anti-monopoly sentiment in
his party. But he was suddenly usher
ed into the White house and given a
chance 70 "shackle cunning and he
has ever since been apOlogizing for
rather than denOuncing trusts. Take
his Providence speech as an illustra-
tiOn5 ne spent more time in trying
to pacify those who crfticise the trusts
than in pointing out a remedy.
speech viii be found on another page
Through il runs the idea that the
enormous fortunes wrungs from the
people by monopoly are q natural and
necessary result OF good times-a re-
suit that We can not prevent We
may like this or not. just IS we please.
but it is q fact. nevertheless, and as
lar as We can see IL is an inevitable
result Of the working Of certain causes.
prominent among which has been the
immense Importance which steam and
electricity have assumed in modern
life"-that is the way he announces
his submission to the man-made in
eQualities which have grown up under
republican rule Again he saws: For
some OF the evils which have attended
upon the good changed conditions we
can at present see no complete rem
edy." and in the next breath he finds
fault with those who try to find
remedy. saying: Much Of the com
plant against combinations is entirely
unwarTanted." He even tries to con-
fuse the private monopoly with the
labor organization in order to soften
the labOring mans hostility 70 trusts.
He says: Exactly as labor organiza-
tiOns, when managed fntelligently and
IN a spirit Of justice and fair play. are
Of great service. not only TO wage
carners, but to the whole community.
as the history Of many labor Organi-
cations has shown. so wealth, not
merely individual, but corporate, when
used Alright is not only a benefit 20
the community as a whole, but in
dispensable to the upbuilding Of the
conditions. which at the present the
country has grown not only TO accept.
but to demand as normal" The pre-
sident fails entirely to distinguish be
tween an association Of GOd-made
men, with bodies to feed. families 70
provide for and with consciences TO
guide them and a fictitious person
called a corporation organized for
gain. having no heart TO restrain il
here and no soul to punish hereafter
He fails TO discriminate between the
the labor organizations which have
not yet succeeded in securing living
wages and reasonable conditions and
the OyergrOwn corporations which de-
clare enormous dividends on watered
stock and enable the managers to be
come mulIi-milliOnaires from enforced
contributions collected from the
people. This hiding behind the labor
organization is a favOrite device Of
the mOnOpOlist and the president be
trays his leanings when he falls into
the same habit A careful reading Of
the presidents speech viii convince
any candid man that the executive is
more alarmed lest the people may in
jure themselves morally by hating the
trusts too much than he is lest they
be hurt by the trusts. Note his solicit
tude: We are passing through a
period Of great material prosperity and
such a period is as sure as adversely
itself TO bring mUtteTings Of discOn-
tent" Again: IF in a spirit Of sullen
envy they (the people, insist in put
ting down those who have prOfted
most by the years Of fairness, they viii
bury themselves in the crash Of com
mon disaster" And still again:
Probably the most serious harm re-
sUlting to US, the people Of moderate
means, is when we harm ourselves
by letting the dark and evil vices Of
envy and hatred toward our fellows
eat into our natures"
No trust magnate could have made
a more abiect and serviIe plea for law
less wealth and heartless greed When
We see great corporations violating the
laws Of the land and riding rough
shOd over the rights Of the people.
instead OF applying a remedy we must
constantly restrain our indignation for
fear the dark and evil vices OF envy
and hatred viii eat into our ma
lures" Instead Of trying TO catch the
horse thief would he lecture the man
who lost his horse2 And does he
think the horse raising industry would
y
minatiOn Of the horse thief2
No one finds fault with wealth that
results from honest toll whether il
be toll Of the hand or toll Of the head.
and no one but an apOlOgist for the
trusts would confuse such wealth with
the iuegitimate accommodations that
come from mOnopOliZing trade, strang-
ling competition and cOrnering the
markets Every honest man is bene-
fitted. not injured, by the prosecution
Of dishonest men; every legitimate in
dustry is helped. not hiHdered, BY the
elimination Of the illegitimate con-
cern organized not to furnish a fair
product at a fair price, but to prey
on the people at large
When the president finally gets
through with his multiplied warnings
against ignorant medd1ing," and ap-
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LABOR DAY
Another Labor Day has come and