Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-07-12
TO GRAppLe WITH TRUSTS.

Public attention has been attracted
by the statement that President Roose-
Welt has requested Congressman
Charles E. Littlefield, of Maine, to draw
up during the recess bill to curb the
trusts, or measure embodying his
views along these lines Representa-
tive Littlefield is regarded as brill
liant man. He is republican who sue
ceeded Dingley, but is something of
free lance in the political arena, and
not always in harmony with the ma
jority of his colleagues. 1t is interest
ing to know what his views are on this
subject as revealed by his speeches in
the national house. 1t is known that
President Roosevelt holds conservative
opinions in regard to the great monop-
olies He would like to restrain them
without injuring legitimate business or
exercising unwarranted interference in
economic affairs. Mr.. Littlef1eld also
holds just views in regard to legiti-
mate business enterprises, and would
discriminate carefully between such
and hurtful trusts. AS to democratic
proposition to control monopoles by
suspending by executive order the tar
recently renewed in slightly different
form in the present house in bill in
troduced last month by Mr.. Richard
son OF Tennessee, Mr.. Littlefield said:
There never was attempted to be
written into the statute books of any
state or of the United States provis-
ion SO violently imperial or czar-like as
this proposition. 1t gives the president
of the United States the power to en-
force upon an organization which is
assumed to be criminal, for the express
purpose of punishment, and that pun
ishment is expected to be business ruin,
the penalty of the law without even
giving the right to be heard. If that is
not Caesarsm, If that is not imperial
ism. if that is not Capitalization run
mad, ask you to distinguish 1T. Search
the records of this country or of any
other and see If you can find anything
that will equal it. No court within the
borders of Christendom ought to coun-
tenance for one moment statute
which, under any circumstances, 80
f1agrantly violates the fundamental
laws as to authorize any man to pass
upon the guilt or innocence of any 9TH
er man or set of men without allow
ing them an opportunity to be heard.
1t is only in the internal regions that
they determine cause without hear
ing"
That he makes careful discrimina
ton between desirable and undesirable
business aggregations the following
from one of his speeches will show:
"But where there is one aggregation,
where there is one corporation that
might be what is called a hydra headed
monster; or, to use the beautiful and
expressive language Of my friend from
Missouri IMr. De Armondl, that has
its yillainous clutch on the throat of
American energy desire to say, Mr..
Sneaker, that there are hundreds, aye,
thousands. that are legitimate elements
of enterprise, that conserve the inter-
ests of the people, that are in fact in
dispensable to the general welfare.
1t is not enough to show that large div
idends are paid, that the business is
widely diffused, or that it Is centralized
and subject to the control of presl-
dent or board of directors. 1T is only
when ii is injuriously aggregated
When 1T brushes out or seeks to crush
out competition. when 1T is operated to
restrain trade and Cypress the public
that it becomes proper subject OF
legislation proper subject of judicial
attention. Great difficulties inhere in
dealing practically and efficiently with
a problem so intricate. To establish
the line of demarcation between the