The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-09-09
ROOSEvELT,s DIFFERENT VIEWS
ON TRUSTS.

between the Mo roe doctrine and the
trusts One day he fiaunts the former
iii the faces OF the Europeans. telling
them what we Americans will do IL
they dare to show any disposition to
violate its principles, and on the next
he tells the people OF the evils of bad
trusts and the benefits to be derived
from good ones. He has had so much
to say on the Iatter subject that it is
not at all surprising that he should at
some places forget what he had aid at
others. This is especially the case
when he gets to talking about the kline
of new legislation needed to control
those rust that are eveil and work in
jury to the people. III president, by
the a is about the only republican
who admits thar there are any trusts
of either kind.
In his Fourth Of July speech at Pitts
burg, the president was of opinion that
trusts could no. be controlled by the
national government alone. but the lat
ter would need the cooperation OF
state governments n municipal au-
thorities, at the same time making the
statement inconsistent with the claim
that additional legislation is needed
that above and beyond all legislation
We need honest and fearless admins
tration Of the laws as they ARE OIL
the statute books. If this be so, why
a nothing be done to control these
trusts without additional legislation
and ever an amendment to the federal
constitution? In his Pittsburg speech
the president said as to the kind of leg-
islation needed:
Special legislation is needed, some
OF that legislation must come through
municipalities. some through states,
some through the national govern
ment."
Here he declares the inability of the
federal government to do anything in
the premises unless it is aided by the
states and municipalities Of the nation.
IN his speech il: Providence, Il. l., on
August 22nd on this subject he said:
The immediate need in dealing with
trusts is to place them under the real,
not nominal, control of some sovereign
In which, as It's creature, the trusts
shall owe allegiance, and in whose
courts the Sovereig1's orders may with
certainty be enforced. Some govern
mental sovereign must be given full
power over these artificial and very
powerful beings. In my judgment this
sovereign must b. the national govern
ment.'
This implies the opinion that the
states should nave nothing to do with
the matter of controlling trusts. But
III the same speCn he says they are
1.-The creatures of the state, and not
only has the state the right to control
them, but is in duty bound to control
them whenever the need for UGH con
troll is shown. In contrast with this
and the statement in Pittsburg that the
greatest need is fearless administra-
ton of the laws that are on the
statute books L. the following from his
speech made in Boston on August Oath:
Il want laws % ole us to deal
with the trust, 1t matter h shape 1T
axes I want to see the government
able to get at it definitely so that the
action of the government cannot be
evaded by any turning, within or with
cut federal or state statutes. At pres
ent we have really no efficient control
over a big corporation which does bus
mess in more than one state"
In Newport, n. H, on August 2Sth
the president took another tack, and in
4 few words wiped out all the ether
propositions he lad made for control
of the trusts. Il seemed Their to think
that just and fearless administration Of
existing laws, additional federal and
state legislation, even an amendment
10 the constitution of the United
States would give the people no relief;
for on this point he declared.
You can frame laws and have a
good constitution and after all has been
done that you can 10 in that way you
have accomplished simply the creating
of conditions which render it possible
to ave good citizenship"
Now We come Gown to his speech
made at Fitchburg, Mass, last Mon
DAY. Here the presidents remark
seem to imply that he has much doubt
in his own mind as to there ever being
any control by law established over
trusts. He gets down to believing
something can be DONE" and he lays
great stress on tie word believe He
does not want the people now to I'M
derstand him as promising or pledging
that something will be done. But in
order to get what he believes somebody
else is going to do he goes back to the
position of an amendment to the con-
s%titution being necessary, and il order
h the people may not be too conf
lent in his belief he tells them that to
secure this necessary constitutional
amendment will be a matter of Difficult
~ and a matter of time We quote
from Tuesday mornings papers his
remarks on this point:
Il believe something can be lone by
national legislation. When / state that
I ask you to note my word, / say I be-
l;eve. 1t is not in my power to say 1
know. When 1 talk to you of my own
executive duties I can tell you definitely
what will and what will not be done.
When 1 speak Of the action of any one
else, 1 can only say that 1 believe
something more can be lone by ma