Middletown transcript., 1903-02-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WAsHTNGroN February 10th, 100

4 DhEdo1OIlN1 0oOstNcitt Wy thO AAA
stand he has taken in support of ade
quate antitrust legislation, has secures
the completion by Congress OF tn
antitrust program outlined in these let
ters last week. In order to accomplish
this end, Mr.. Roosevelt has talked yer,
plainly to the leaders OF his party. HI
has stated the unvarnished facts and il
some instances has seriously offended
by what they term his "brutal frankness, :
| the men who will have the greatest weight
Fin the Republican national convention
The President states his position very
simply. He says, II have done my
duty by the whole people as have seen
it and 1 am quite prepared to stand OF
fall by their verdict" In this connec-
tion no one denies that the Attorney
General will find his position materially
strengthened in the further prosecution
Of the unlawful acts Of the great corpora
tions know as trusts.
~
In view of the Presidents position on
the subject of trusts it has become we'll
recognized fact, in the inner circles OF the
party, that all that element which be-
lieves there should be no legislative inter-
ference with the business interests of the
country will work assiduously against
Mr. Roosevelt's nomination in 1904. As
to the trusts themselves it is common
expression that they have "no souP' and
it is equally true that they have no poll
tics With Mr.. Roosevelt as the Repub-
can candidate and a man whom they
would describe as "safe' at the head of
the Democratic ticket, their influence
and their extensive campaign contribu-
tion would go into the Democratic fund.
The Democrats realize this fact and such
men as Arthur P. German, Richard Oh
ney and others, whose standing with the
capitalists of the country is unimpeach-
able, are being earnestly, openly, dis
cussed as probable Democratic candidates.
Always trimmers, the Democrats will
have no hesitation in trimming their
sails to catch the trust wind in the next
election. The friends of the President
are discussing the situation very seriously
and all believe that the people will have
to choose, either at the Republican
national convention or at the polls, be-
tween an honest and fearless advocate OF
the rights of the people and servant OF
the corporate wealth of the country.
~
1t is regarded as practically certain that
Mr.. George B. Cortelyou, now Secretary
to the President, will be chosen by Mr..
Roosevelt as head of the new Depart
ment OF Commerce and Labor. Some of
the Presidents sincerest friends regarded
the appointment as unwise from politi-
cal standpoint, They. say that with the
powerful influences which are known to
be against him in his own party, Mr..
Roosevelt ought to "play politics. and
appoint to this important position man
who would carry considerable political
influence in one of the doubtful states.
70 their argument Mr.. Roosevelt replies
that his brand of politics is that policy
which he believes will make for the
greatest. good of the people. No one
questions Mr.. Cortelyou's ability and the
President knows that ne will administer
this important office in the interests of
The people. He is in perfect accord with
The President on the subject of trusts,
with which the new Department will
have much to do. Even under the pro-
visions of the Nelson Amendment proyid-
ng for publicity of corporate statistics
he officer.in charge will have the widest
attitude and with an administrative
,fficer whose sympathies were with the
corporations the law might. be made
wholly useless. No one denies the cor |
of this argument, although some
ear that when it comes to the point of
rotes in the convention Mr. Roosevelt's
honest policy will not win.
~ ~ +
The ratification of the Alaskan treaty
without material opposition bears out
he prediction made in these letters, and
nade In the face of Associated Press pre-
lotions to the contrary. Under the pro-
isions Of the treaty, the President will
ppoint three. commissioners who will
,eet with an equal number appointed t
y Great Britain and, ,,if possible, settle =
,r all time the dispute in regarded to the
llaskan boundary. On every mooted
uestion vote Of four to two will deter
line the proposition. In the event that P
lch a majority cannot be obtained and e
le commission divides evenly no result \
i'll beattained and the present status of y
le question will not have been affected u
umor has it that the President will ap- n
,int on the commission Secretary Root, n
,nator Lodge and Senator Turner of N
'ashington, but no official announce X
emit has been made. IN
~ "
The dispute in regard to the actual u
undary between Alaska and the Bri- "
b possessions arises from redundancy TO
definition in the treaty negotiated by ~
eat Rritain and Ruesia IN 12o5 Not DC