The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-04-14
A BUNDLE OF INCONSISTENCIES.

Not since the day on which George
Washington was inaugurated president
of the United States has there been a
man in that office who during Ills en-
tire incumbency has promulgated as
many inconsistent theories ana plans
for governmental reform as has Pres
fdent Roosevelt during the year and a
half he has been president. From his
famous Pittsburg speech, in which he
made the public believe he was going
to tear the trusts all to pieces down
to his Minneapolis speech of last week
he has hardly made two public utter
ances on the few vital questions before
the people that were consistent In DEC
laration Of purpose. At one time he de-
clares that the trusts cannot be
reached without ali amendment ID the
federal constitution. Then he cells us
that we have statutes which. with
some amendments, are sufficient to
curb these octopuses. He raises 4
great cry for such amendments, es-
pecially does he demand a law that
will compel publicity of the workings
U ItlcSe II OSNS. III PAO'
us is the one great need for controlling
the trusts n forcing them to loosen
their grasp on the public's throat ant
to withdraw their hands from its
pockets.
He makes this demand of congress
and it is granted. He is given a new
cabinet officer Whose duty it shall be
- ;a1ocriroTa thaco fr1CtC and make
this publicity of their affairs for which
he has been bowling for SO many
months. To that new and responsible
cabinet office he appoints n Of his
nearest personal and political friends
the man who has stood closer to him
in his private and public life since he
has peer president than any other
The public had the right to think
that now the work of throttling the
trusts would begin.
But. PrestoI Change, No sOOne is
he given the power that in his latest
vagaries he claimed was all he wanted
than he turns completely around, and
it seems the desire to dive into the
secret workings of the trusts no longer
eAlSIS- me DuDllCIlS ldN was
ded to give the president such inform2-
ton as to the secret workings of trusts
as to enable him to lay it before con-
gress with recommendations for furth-
err legislation in the better control Ct
trusts. But Mr.. Roosevelt now pub
licly declares that further legislation
is impracticable. What is this but
ro--1l1-1-, +Inr Ia
wants no information as to trusts.
After making or trying to maxi the
Who'll country believe he was anxious
for gre to grant him this one
power in order that he might break up
trusts, he abandons the purpose as
soon as his desire is granted and ac-
tually declares the plan impractiCable.
Mr.. Babcock declared last week that
the next congress is pledged to q re-
vision of the tariff and that but for
such a pledge made last fall the repub-
licans would have lost their control Of
congress. Mr.. Roosevelt at the same
time declares that he tariff laws must
not be interferred with. He will not
admit that his secretary of war is
IlSHl "uSIl InS latter dulIlllS TIE poSSl-
BILE need of legislation to prevent the
tariff from being abused by the trusts,
and to compel them to give home con-
sumers the same showing as to prices
as their foreign customers. All this the
president pushes aside as a ''plaE for
putting an end to the prosperity of the
country"
Tho rrYr = NJ D~1--,-1Ir WOO
ing to the public when he was So vo-
c~iferously demanding his publicity
law" and he had no idea the trusts
would allow the measure to pass con-
gress. When it did pass ne either had
to take water or stand to his word and
ALLEVIATE the trusts and m~Onopolitic cor
porations. He chose the former as the
safer party measure
Thus il is always with this man.
The public never knows one day what
position he Will take the next on the
most important issues before the peo-
pie. The fact that he has declared pos
tive convictions or intentions as to fu-
ture action does not make his future
course any more certain.
One of the chief objects in securing
the publicity clause and placing the
matter in the hands of the department
of labor n commerce was that the
workings of these trusts in their dis
ordinations in favor of foreign against
home purchasers might be fully in
vestigated and brought to light as
showing what were the workings of the
Dingley tariff bill in this respect. But
the president has put his foot down on
any such movement. The tariff is not
TO be disturbed and Mr.. C%ortelyoa is