The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-24

which seeks TO regulate combinations OF
capital which has ever been placed on TIE
Nations statute books. a Republican Pres-
ident Il the only national executive tnaL
ever enforced IL. II evils exist. that law
will reach them. II IL Is sufficiently broad,
wise and modern. IL IL does not reacn them,
but I'm reaching them lays the axe 20 the
root OF our industrial development itself,
the effect Of that viii be clear 10 the whole
people; and that ancient law VIII be re-
pealed or modified. II II does not reach
them then thoughtful men. with the scope
and effect OF all existing law ascertained.
Will know better how 10 proceed Win TINS
most delicate task. The only other law
regulating combinations Is the interstate
commerce law. which Is IN daily operauons
and that law too. is Republican
Why do l speak OF the Sherman law as
possibly, ancient law The American
people are living a century In decade.
man who lives through seventy years OF
ine tMenlleth century VIII nave -l 49, laI
longer than Methusaieh lived Ieiephone,
telegraph, daily-almost hourly-neWspa-
pers, universal schools. the weaving OF the
great web of rural free delivery which
places the worlds news beneath the crlu-
cism OF the American farmer when ne
comes home from his pillow at night-al OF
the elements or twentieth century Afne'a-
can CIVILIZATION make yesterday remote ana
last year ancient. New methods daily de-
velop out Of daily experience: and the
commercial house of Indianapolis which
would follow now the method Of twenty
years ago would be bankrupt in a year.
Throughout that great industrial family.
the American people. there is a constant
weave Of thought and service and neces-
sity-the playing Of every industry into the
hands of every other industry-the sum or
all of which is the industrial solidarity OF
the Nation and its amazing prosperity
Compared with former times. our progress
to-day is like an express train compared
with lumber wagon And, therefore. eco
nOmic legislation OF ten years ago may be
to-day a hundred years behind the times
SHOULD BE SUPERVISED.
Is it not a serious thing to lock up by in
flexible statutes the ceaselessly changing
and improving methods which grow out OF
the thought of those thousands of minds
and the activities of those millions OF
hands? Such economic legislation requires
investigation. prudence. thought. What
madness, then. to seek not even TO super
wise but actually 10 abolish all of this pro-
gress and to prevent all future progress.
by the American people working unhind-
cred along the lines Of natural develop
mentl And yet this is the folly of the oppo-
sition This is the demagogue's indaming
cry with which they will go TO the people
in this campaign. And this Is why they 20
to defeat. For the conservative among the
American people are more numerous than
the destrOyers; and in this truth resides the
Republics safety.
What is the next step which practical
thought suggests for preventing the evils
]
Dor? 1t is clear that we cannot destroy
them. But must prevent their frauds.
chain their violence and. as the President
OF the United States has said, muzzle
their greed just we do with evil men,
A method must be found TO supervise their
operations. TO give the people information
of their purposes and condition. 1t must
be a national method; for the great TWEEN
tieth century combinations OF capital oper-
ate throughout the Nation. In the Repub-
lies internal trade State lines have been
abolished; and commerce is hardly con-
sciOus even of the confines of countries
For this national supervision OF national
industries the Republican party is this very
hour providing. President Roosevelt has
recommended and Congress is constructing
q department of commerce which Will final
ly supervise every trust that does business
throughout the Nation. Ii will gather reli-
able statistics lay before Congress the
facts, inform the people of real conditions;
take out of discussion all imagination,
falsehOod. conjecture. Is not this the rea-
sonabe way of proceeding with this mighty
problem? Is it not the method business
man or farmer would apply TO his own af-
| fairs? Is il not better 10 search out with
reasons light the weak places and the
dark than TO apply the torch OF destruction
to the whole fabric Of our Industry Con-
sentative progress or annihiating reaction
/ this is the alternative before the Ameri-
| can people.