West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-07-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
President Roosevelt Making a Grand
Stand Play" on the Trust
Business.
senator Hanna Quietly Working up
His Chances for Republican NomIna.
lion for the Presidency.

lion for the Presidency.
WASHINGTON July 10, Iooa.-
While President Roosevelts state
ment in regard to trusts, made at
Pittsburg, and the subsequent an
nouncement that Representative
Littlefeld of Main had been selected
to draft bill which would provide
for federal supervision and control
of these great monopolles, have
received wide publicity in the press
Of the country, they are not fegared
seriously by the leading democrats
in Washington. Representative
Griggs of Georgia, who returned
from his home this week, pointed
out, when l asked him his opinion
of Mr.. Roosevelt's announcement,
that the fact that the President had
waited until after the adjournment
of Congress to expound his views on
the subject should be sufficient proof
that he was not sincere in his
protestations and that they were
made for political purposes only.
"Had Mr.. Roosevelt felt to strongly
on the subject of the trusts as he
now pretends", he said, cit would
have been his duty to present his
views to Congress and not wal; until
a week after Congress had adjourned
and then present them to, and their
effect on, the people" In fact, the
concensus of opinion is that the
President is simply making an effort
to placate that element of the party
In the west which has demanded
tariff reduction as remedy for the
tyranny of the trusts.
TIT
Representative Swanson of Virg-
mia characterizes the Presidents
utterances as "sham and fraud"
and points out that even for the
purpose of befricnding Cuba, which
Mr.. Roosevelt declared was es
sential to the honor Of the country,
he was unwilling to use his influence
to secure the passage Of the Cuban
reciprocity bill passed by the House
and which would have placed the
Sugar Trust in competition with the
foreign rehners TO the great advant-
age of the American consumers.
MIR. ROOSEVELT knew that he would
have the unqualified support of the
democrats in the Senate as we'll as
of a number OF the senators of his
own party but he was unwilling TO
take the first step which would
antagonIze the Sugar Trust and
kindred interests. "Can anyone,
after this proceeding, place any
faith in Mr.. Roosevelt's protesta-
tons of antagonism to the trusts?,"
added Mr. Swanson.
While doubling the Presidents
sincerity, the democratic leaders
consider that, in his desire for
personal popularity and in his efforts
to make certain his own nomination,
he has materially aided them in
their efforts TO secure great demo-
cratic victory in 1904, if not in the
fall elections. His utterances have
brought into that prominence which
the democrats have been strivi " 10
give it, the enormity of the trust evil
and not only is it certain that there
is no chance for securing from the
republicans in Congress, during the
short session, antitrust legislation
which will satisfy the public, but it
is equally certain that a disappointed
public will turn 10 the democratic
party for relief in 1904. BY his
selection Of Mr.. Littleheld of Maine,
Mr.. Roosevelt has shown a DISPOSE
ton to ignore the leaders of his
party in Congress, but no one who
understands the situation believes
for moment that he can either
control the House without the help
of those leaders or that he can
produce any effect upon the trusts
controlled republicans in he Senate.
TIT
There is growing belief in
Washington that Senator Hanna is
looking to his fences with an eye on
the next presidential nomination and
some, there are, who suggest that
even Mr.. Roosevelt's attack upon
the trusts is trap into which he
has been led by his willy friend
from Ohio. The policy of those
who support the Senator from Ohio
is TO utter no word in public,
derOgatOTy to the President. in fact