The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-12-03

popular demand to repeal the laws CIV
| ing the bulk of the results of individual
labor and skill to the combinations, is
so strong that the President must take
note of the evils of the trusts, he rs care
full to viciously and vigorously combat
the specific plans that would prevent the
congestion of national prosperity And, OF
course. he does this in the name of the
wage Garner who is the man who is most
hurt by the trusts and tariff exactions!
Nobody has pretended that taking the
tariff from articles controlled by trusts
would destroy all the trusts or clip the
wings of them all. But the fact is that
the great trusts are in very close con-
nection one with the other, and IL you
take out the Rockefeller Carnegie Nor
gan interests from any one of the big
ones, there would be little left. If you
strike the steel, the oil and the rail-
road trust you strike the power Of all
trusts to practice extortion. 1t is be-
cause they all have community OF in
terest that they unite to prevent Con-
gress comforting the power upon the
Inter State Commerce Commission to
stop freight discrimination and to regu-
late freight rates. 1t is because they all
stand together that no bill removing or
reducing the tariff from trust controlled
trnGf-lOTnin2tpd
Congress. 1t is for the same reason that
no trust magnate can be sent to Jail for
robbing the people. "The injury Of ore
is the concern of ALL" Because they arc
largely owned in common and fight for
each other that a withdrawal of the
tariff bounty from the steel trust, for
Indirectly, to all the monster trusts that
lay tribute upon the people, heavier than
the State. national and local govern
ments combined.
If Mr. Roosevelt was really strenuous
and determined in his effort to put 81
end to the wrongs practiced by trusts,
he would have said: Some trusts can
be reached by withdrawing in whole or
in part the protective duties which en-
foreigners than to Americans. We will
reach them in that way. Other trusts
can be reached by giving the Interstate
Commerce Commission power to regulate
freight and passenger rates. We will
reach them in that way. Still other
trusts can be reached by legislation MAX
ing public all their transactions. That
is the medicine we will give them. There
remain other trusts, controlled by I'M
scrupulous men who have no regard for
law or popular opinion. They can be
reached and curbed only by criminal
prosecution. We will put such law
breakers in stripes and make them an
example," If the President really has
sincere intention to correct the
evils wrought by trusts, he would
vigorously, and put all the mighty
agencies at his command "to make the
punishment fit the crime" Instead of
being willing to use stones upon the Of
fender-the only thing the old farmer
found effective and the only method that
can touch a trust-Mr. Roosevelt, with
tender solicitude. while pointing out the
evils refuses to recommend any weapon
more effective than tufts of grass. The
President has it in his power to check,
curb, restrain many OF the trusts. He
deliberately repudiates the first aud
quickest MISUNDERSTANDING the money
bounty-and refrains from advocating
any plan that has a strenuous provision
in it.
Even if the President had recommended
legislation that would effectively re-
strain or punish trusts, or both, this
Congress would not have enacted t. il
Congress should enact proper legislation.
who expects an Attorney General who
gave up a $4,000 salary as attorney OF
the steel trust, to enter the Cabinet, and
who will return as attorney, to the steel
trust when he quits the Cabinet-who
expects that this administration would
faithfully execute severe laws or pray
for the imposition Of just penalties?
I'VE do not gather grapes from thorns
or figs from thistles.''
The careful reader of the message will
observe the modified tone with which
Mr.. Roosevelt discusses the trust ques-
ton when contrasted with his vigorous
antitrust speech at Minneapolis while
he was Vice President. 1t is as mild as
the cooling of a sucking dove compared
with the vigorous English he employs
when he is in dead earnest trying to
correct wrong. Why has he become
milder in his language, more conciliatory
in his tone. more vague in his remedies?
Has he seen the vision before his eyes
of a moneyless campaign treasury in
1904? Have the trusts made known their
demand that they must not be harassed