Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1903-01-28

the advice of all friends of the bill,
who said the amendments were in
tended to kill it by making it un-
constitutional, 1.-THE corporations
got Governor Roosevelt To weakly
yield to their demands" as Sena-
tor Ford now says.
Commenting on the court deci-
sion. Senator Ford says:
u told Governor Roosevelt that
the creation of a State board Of
tax commissioners was both expen-
sive and unconstitutional. He told
me that he had been advised by
the very highest judicial authority
that even if the creation of the
State tax commission was declared
unconstitutional, that theestablish-
ment of the principle that a fran
chise or privilege could be taxed
as real estate would not he affected.
He also told me, however. that
the same highest judicial authority
maintained that no part of the new
bill was unconstitutional 1t has
been said that Governor Roosevelt
was hoodwinked by the corpora
tons. do not think 50. He is
an intelligent man and | had long
talks with him every day on the
danger of listening to the sophiStry
of the corporation lawyers. Why,
he would not consent to the law as
it was finally passed until hc had
put off It's operations Il year. He
thus made the corporations 4 pre-
sent of so many millions
In consequence of Governor
Roosevelt's extra session OF the
legislature, the corporations re-
fused to pay taxes on their fran
chiseS and about $4,000. 600 of
back taxes are now lost To the
State, although the assessors APP
pointed by Governor Roosevelt
assessed the franchises of New
York City only S211, 100000.
while Senator Ford and others say
they are worth $500. 900. 900.
As Governor of New York. Mr..
Roosevelt delayed and defeated
the overwhelming sentiment of
the people for franchise taxation
and thus proved himself the best
friend of the corporations. Ills
popularity because of his action on
this bill was probably responsible
for the high position which he now
holds. Three wears from now we
shall probably look back and say
that President Roosevelt, while
pretending to be the bitter enemy
of the trusts. really prevented, for
the time, effective antitrust legis-
lation and thus was the true friend
of the trusts.
President Roosevelt told us last
summer that Words are GOOD
when backed by deeds, and only
so. " In view of his New York
action, what value can we put on
his present wordSl
Compared to the drastic meas
ureS for the control of trusts which
the Democrats propose, and which
would strike at the root of the evil,
the Republican bread pills for the
trust cure is like comparing the
solar system to the feeble c0rruS-
cations of a lightning bug. With
all their fanfarrOnade. fiubdub and
fuss and feathers about doing
something to remedy the trust evil,
in which the little Attorney-Gen-
eral is taking quite a dish, he has
seen fit to entirely ignore all the
evidence as To the eXiStance of
vicious trust placed in his hands
by Mr.. William X. Hearst. If he
were sincere in his recommends
tons to the judiciary committees
of the House and Senate concern
ing the provisions of an antitrust
law which really would curb trust
rapacity, why does he not demon
strate it by immediate action
against the coal trust, using the
Hearst evidence as a basis.
There were some notable
speeches in the Senate and House
last week chief among them being
those of Senator TiIlman, Repre-
sentatives Crowley of Illinois, and
Sheppard of Texas.
Senator Tillman'S remarks were
directed against Attorney General
Knox and the Administration as a
whole, for their failure to proceed
against the trusts in general and
the coal trust in particular. The
sledge-hammer blows he delivered