The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-01-23
SHORT TALKS
Brlef Comment On Political and Other
Matters Of Public Interest.
ANDREW ]. PALM.


ANDREW J. PALM.
II Attorney General Knox was not
guilty OF the offenses with which he
was charged by the Antitrust League
he should do something to dlsprove
them. He was trust attorney when
appointed, and there isn't much doubt
that he is trust attorney general. 1t
is safe to say that he will not put
straw in the way Of the gigantic COM
binations which he Is sworn to prose-
cute under the law. The supreme
court has explained what trust is,
and the Sherman antitrust law lays
down the penalty. What Is Mr.. Knox
waiting for?
What is the Monroe Doctrine any
way, as taught by the Republican
press and so-called Republican states
men? In the light Of recent experience
and the spreadeagle oratory of the
lingo members of congress 1t must
mean that no foreign nation shall at
tempt to colonize or control any island
or country on this side of the Allan
tic, but that we may go wherever and
whenever we please and buy or capture
whatever we choose and make 1t ours
to govern or to loot as we may decide.
This Is the only possible meaning that
the Monroe Doctrine can have as
taught by the Imperialists of the Unit
ed States.
1t seems rather inconsistent for
President Roosevelt to praise Post
master General Smith so highly on
leaving his cabinet. Not that Mr..
Smith does not well deserve all the
good things the president says of him.
but that the man selected to take his
place is almost everything in politics
that Mr.. Smith is not; and If Mr..
Smith is Roosevet's kind of man the
query Is why didn't he select some one
with at least some of his good quail
ties to succeed him. Roosevelt with
all his boasted courage in fighting
mountain cats is pandering to the boss
element as completely as did his prede-
cessor, whose backbone, as Roosevelt
once said, was like unto a wet bath
towel.
Senator Hoar wants to Danish an
there work out their own theory of do
ing without government. Since the
government refuses to allow the Fill
pinos their inalienable right to have
their own way on their own island twill
not be likely to look with favor on Sem
ator Hoar's project Our governments
perfidy In dealing with the Filipinos
does its full share toward making an
archists out of men who believe in the
principles of liberty and justice. When
government uses its force to oppress
instead Of protect, to destroy instead
Of uphold the rights Of human beings IL
doesn't create very deep respect for
its purposes.
Is. w. Durham, the insurance COM
missioner, who leaves his work entire
ly to subordinates, while his official
duties are confined to drawing the sal
ary, is now bigger boss than the Old
Man. What he says goes. and since he
has declared that Elkin is to be the
next machine candidate for governor
that settles the matter. 1t must be
rather discouraging for men who i'm
agine that they live under republican
form of government to have all their
candidates picked out few years
ahead, but the Republicans of boss
ridden Pennsylvania have become so
accustomed to having all their candi-
dates slated by few self constituted
bosses that they submit without a
whine, except those who are willing to
be called insurgents" for asserting
their right to think for themselves.
Roosevelt seems to think he can
atone for his brutal criticism of Gen.
eral Miles and its implied hostility to
Schley by calling Schley to his room
and giving him some taffy in private.
His attack on Miles was made as pub
lie as possible, and his animus against
| pShiCy Wdo dioo ohOWh ANoW
If he knows any good reason for up
holding Schley let him come out like a
man and tell the public what it is. II
Schley will quietly submit to all the
lies that have been told on him, and
now turn in to help save the naval
ring from the public indignation which
1t so well deserves, simply because
Roosevelt would like to have it that
way, he will disappoint his best friends
and please his worst enemies. Men
whose good opinions are worth hav
ing do not like totdy, and Schley can
we'll afford to stand like man for his
rights, even before President Roose-
welt.
The Iron Age, paper that cannot
be accused of being Democratic, as
Berts that some of the protected manu-
factlrers are selling goods in the Ha.