Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-11-27
IHE1RUS1QUESGION.
President Roosevelt and His Cabi.
net Divided on the matter.
KNOX FOR DRASTIC LEGISLATION.
The President sides with the Attorney Gen.
ersl, but Root, Hay, Moody and Payne
Are Against Any Further Anti
Trust Agitation.

Washington, Nov. 24.-President
Roosevelt's cabinet is evidently di-
vided on the subject Of further anti
trust agitation. Attorney General
Knox and Secretary Hitchcock, Sec
retary Wilson and Secretary Shaw
agree with the president that in his
forthcoming message he should be
even more outspoken than in his
speeches and his last message in
dealing with the trust question. Sec
retary Root, Secretary Hay, Secre-
tary Moody and Postmaster General
Payne take the position that it is not
politically advisable for the president
to continually antagonize the strong
financial interests. The presidents
position is well known, declare the
politicians in the cabinet, and the
kind Of discussion precipitated by
recommendations Of drastic legisla-
ton would complicate the political
situation in the eastern states.
The surprising feature Of the diff
ferences in the cabinet is the posi-
tion and aggressive attitude assumed
by Attorney General Knox. The at
torney general has all along been
suspected Of friendliness to cor
porations. The labor unions have
adopted ringing resolutions pro-
nouncing him a friend Of organized
wealth and the various trust bust
ing" societies have grown hysterical
in their denunciations. 1t is said on
the best authority that the attorney
general at the cabinet discussion
took the position that the laws now
in the statute books were sufficient
to remedy many Of the trust evils
and could easily be modified to be
even more effective and 1t was essen
tial for the administration to take
an emphatic stand.
The president is said to have re-
ferred to the we'll known fact that
the attorney general had devoted
more time to study Of the situation
from a legal standpoint than any
other person associated with the ad-
ministration and the administration
would have the support Of practically
the entire country in its effort at
reaching an admitted evil.
Postmaster General Payne and Sec
retary Root are regarded as the best
politicians in the cabinet, and these
two, it is said, were as pronounced
in opposition to the further agitation
Of the subject as the attorney gen.
eral and Tie president were in favor
of it.
The concerted movement Of the
railroads in raising the wages and
following it Immediately by raising
rates has forced new agitation re-
carding railroad agreements. By
raising wages the railroads have add
ed $5O,OOO,0O0 to the annual income
Of the employees. This announcement
was received with an outburst of ap-
probation by the press Of the coun-
try and the. beautiful theory every
where advanced that the giant cor
porations were determined that their
employees should share in the gem
eral prosperity. But the public joy
over the. unprecedented advance in
wages HAD scarceIy reachcu rvs n-1gnJ
when the announcement was made
that the same corporations which
had raised wages s5O,OOO,OOO would
advance freight rates $lOO,OO0,0O0.
This situation. among others, was
discussed at the cabinet meeting.