The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-05
BRYAN PICKS FLAWS
The President, He Says, Apologies
for Rather Than Denounces
the Greedy Trusts.
All the Editor Sees Is the Politician
Flim-Flamming the People for
a denomination.
Now Nork !sa,s, !soecyay Service.

Lincoln, Neb., Sept. 5.--W. J. Bryan,
In his Commoner of to-day, dissects the
recent trust speeches Of President Roose-
Welt and practically accuses the president
Of film -flamming" the people. MIR. Bryan
says in part:
He (Roosevet) was suddenly ushered
into the White House and given a chance
to 'shackle cunning,' and has ever since
been apoogizing for rather than denoun-
cling trusts. Take his Providence speech
as an illustration. He spent more time
trying to pacify those who criticize the
trusts than in pointing out remedy.
Through it runs the idea that the enor-
nous fortunes wrung from the people by
monopoly are a natural and necessary re-
suit Of good times, result that we can
not prevent.
THE president fails entirely to distin
Guish between an association OF God made
men, with bodies to feed, families to pro-
vide for and with consciences to guide
them. and fictitious person called a COR
poration, organized for gain, having no
heart to restrain 1T here and no soul TO
punish hereafter. He fails to discrimi-
nate between the labor organizations.
which have not yet succeeded in securing
living wages and reasonable conditions,
and the overgrown corporations, which
declare enormous dividends watered
stock and enable the managers to become
multi-millionaires from enforced contri-
button collected from the people.
This hiding behind the labor organiZa-
ton Is a favorite device Of the monopolst,
and the president betrays his leanings
when he falls into the same habit. a
careful reading Of the presidents speech
will convince any candid man that the ex-
ecutive Is more alarmed lest the people
may injure 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 period
Of great material prosperity, and such a
period Is as sure as adversely itself to
bring mutterings Of discomfort. Again:
If, in a spirit of sullen envy, they (the
people) insist upon putting down those
who have profted most by the years fat
ness, they will bury themselves in the
crash Of common disaster
mo trust magnate could have made a
more abject and servile plea for lawless
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
remedy. we must constantly restrain our
indignation for fear the dark and evil
vices Of envy and hatred will eat into our
natures. Instead Of trying to catch the
horse thief, would he lecture the man who
lost his horse, and does he think the
horse raising industry would be jeopar-
diced by the complete determination OF
the horse thief?
He insists that it is highly undesirable
to attempt too much or to begin by strin-
gent legislation. Those who are looking
for strenuosity in dealing with the trust
evil will not find it In the president
speech. 1t Is weak and puerile. Instead
Of a warrior leading his men up San Juan
HILL we Zee the politician anxious for a
denomination and afraid either to ignore
the subject or to deal with it firmly and
aggressively.
1.-The only definite suggestion he makes
IS in regard to publicity, and even this
must be non-inquisitorial Publicity as
an aid to other remedies would be useful,
but publicity alone is as absurd as 1t
would be to propose the repeal Of laws
against larceny and the substitution OF
law simply requiring the thief to file a
schedule Of the things stolen, and KEEP
them"