The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1902-08-01

Republican party, DcneNluB tudI lucy
were giving to the world champion
of liberty and of human rights. have
united in denouncing its present
course as fatal departure from the
most hallowed principles and tradi-
tions of the Republic. The honored
and distinguished senior Senator from
Massachusetts, himself one OF the
founders of the Republican party. one
who has chung to it and who still
clipgs to it with mistaken fidelity and
despairiDg hope, declared from his
place on the floor of the Senate that If
the present policy should be persisted
| in, the downfall of the Republic would
date from the administration of Mr..
Mckinley. So, my fellow citizens
the statement l have made as to the
significance of this contest cannot be
brushed aside as the incorporate invec-
tive of a campaign orator, when we
hear the very founders of the Republi-
can party. men who have grown to
white hairs and worn the crown OF
glory in It's service. denouncing it in
effect as traitor to American liberty.
So, my friends, l but speak the senti'
ments of the gravest and most thought
full men, both in our own country and
in foreign LANDS, when | say that the
corrupt and brutal oligarchy Of wealth
now existing in this country is a
deadly menace to our free institutions.
CONCENTRATION OF WEALTH.
President Roosevelt, in notable
address, dwelt upon the enormous
growth of both private and corporate
fortunes in the United States as constl-
tuting a deadly menace to the country
"a menace so great that 1t necessltates,
in his opinion. radical change IN
the attitude of the State and nation to-
ward property and he added that we
must learn to shacKle cunning as here
tofore we have shackled force. con-
fess that | do not clearly understand
what the President means by change
of the attitude of the Government
toward private property, and l am
somewhat mystified by his suggestion
of the socialistic idea Of equalizing the
opportunities for gain between
stupidity and intelligence. | am my
self not willing to go beyond the
Democratic idea of equality under the
law. 1t is we'll, however, that we are
agreed upon the fact that the wealth
of the country is being rapidly ac-
cumulated into the hands of few
wealth there goes an accumulation of
mower, and that it is the duty and
within the province of the Govern
ment to deal with this condition.
The extent to which this concentra-
ton of wealth has already proceeded
Is shown in the careful estimate OF
able statisticians and economists that
three-tenths of per cent. of the
people own 70 per cent Of the ma
tional wealth; or, in other words one
man out of 800 controls seventy out
of every hundred dollars of the coun-
try's wealth. while the other 299
divide $50 among them. Or, if you
look at it from the standpoint OF in
comes, we find that few of the rich
families, constituting less than per
cent. of the peopl,e enjoy larger in
come than the aggregate income OF
one half of the American people. Or,
if you take the actual property holders
of the country, leaving entirely out OF
consideration those who own no
property at all, we find that the smaller
property holders, constituting seven
/, eig hts of the whole number own only
one eight of the property.
Such facts as these cannot exist
without exciting the anxious and
thoughtful attention Of every patriotic
man. am glad they have made an
impression upon the mind of President
Roosevelt; but | must express my
, opinion that no man is prepared to
deal effectively with the evil until he
realizes that it is due in large measure
to the vicious legislation of the Repub-
lican party.
TRUST LEGISLATION.
The President is now engaged in a
terrific lingual, labial and laryngeal
assault upon the trusts He demands
that there shall be more aud stronger
laws to curb their power. l nave
always understood 1t to be the duty
of the President, to advise Congress by
message of such legislation as he thinks
will promote the general welfare. But
our President is nothing if not origi-
nal and Unique. He waits until Con-
gress has adjourned, until the law
making power has been suspended.
until political campaign is on, and
then tells the people from the hastings
of the laws he intends to have enacted
by some other Congress at some other
time. While would not withhold the
applause due the President for his
zeal in this behalf, still do think it is
entirely proper and legitimate 70 remark
upon the inopportuneness of his tren-
uosity. l do not for moment sug
gest that this belated war on the trusts
is intended simply for the pending
campaign. can well understand how
the President might have feared to
seek anything in the way Of anti
trust legislation at the hands of the
Congress which recently adjourned.
He had recommended to that Congress
reduction Of the duty on Cuban i'm
ports, and said that II was an obliga-
ton of honor. The Ways and Means
Committee dutifully prepared bill in
accordance with this view, but when
an amendment was added striking at
the exorbitant profits of the sugar trust,
the bill was quietly thrust into the
pigeon hole Of a Senate committee,
and there it will end its days.
The same Congress passed through
one branch the measure known as the
ship subsidy bill-a mere legislative
Jimmy with which burglarious