The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-01-30
tion organ, having announced on jan
nary 10th that no drastic antitrust

and#that the trusts nau agfeeu: leu
mild legislation 20 through, the
senate, merely to satisfy the Presl-
dents demand for 'ssome kind OF &C
Etion," there was an opportunity for a
denial which would be most effective.
tThe President utilized it fully and
tgreatiy increased his lead. On We'd
ucsday, January 2lst. the great news
papers. of the country contained a
column or SO of special news which
had leaked out of the White House.
1t was said that the President had
sent for Senators Aidrichand Spooner,
the recognized party leaders, aud lad
simply read the riot act to them in
the presence of his Acknowledgement.
He said: ssAssurances had been given
that democratic senators would not
accept a meaningless antitrust bill,
hut would give every assistance in
passing a comprehensive measure.
If the Republicans, he said, did not
take the initiative in making laws to
regulate the trusts, the people would
return the Democrats to power"
The dispatch closed: s'The lecture
given by the President to the two
leaders of the senate had disconnected
the republicans, who had hoped to ar
range a mild compromise which would
keep the people quiet and prevent
an extra session OF Congress. They
are much confused but not without
hope"
Very few appreciate more highly
than does the President the value to
a politician of being generally con-
sidered the enemy Of the great cor
pOrations. Ever since he resigned
from the Free Trade Club OF New
York in 1884, that he might get on
better in politics, as he told friend,
he has utilized every opportunity to
hit the corporations-with a stuffed
club. The voters in New York will
! no longer take the Presidentseriously.
On January Goth the Appellate Divis-
ion of the Supreme Court OF New
York state decided that the Ford
]! Franchise Bill was unconstitutional.
The most interesting history Of this
bill well illustrates the methods OF
President Roosevelt.
AS introduced by Senator Ford, a
republican, the bill simply put the
franchises of ali public utilities into
the category of real estate, where
they had been previous to 1898.
There was no doubt about it's con.
stitutionalityy, as New York's courts
had declared that franchises were
properly real estate, for purposes OF
taxation. Senator Ford was making
a brilliant fight and was contendinp
with the attorneys and Hobbies Of the
great corporations, whose franchises
were worth about 100000, when
the Governor, perceiying Ford 'sgrow.
ing popularity, took a hand in the
game. Then as how, he ostentatiously
called the legislative leaders before
him and tread the riot act''to them
He lectured them on the unfairness Of
allowing the corporations to go un.
taxed, while loading taxes upon the
people. After he had gotten grea,
and undeserved credit for forcing the
bill through, at the end Of the session
in 1899, he surprised the friends of the
bill by not signing it, and by calling
an extra session of the legislature tx
amendit in several ways, and especi
ally by taking the power to asses.
franchises away from the local asses
sors and transferring it to a stat,
board. 1t was well known that thes.
amendments were urged by Platt
lOdell and other friends OF. the corpor
ations. They pretended that itwoull
never do to have the wicked demo
Gratis Of New York City assess thes,
franchises. a republican state board
without bias against corporations
should be created, they said. Agains,
the advise of all@triends of the bill
who said the amendments were in
tended to kill it by making it uncon
stitutional, 'the corporations got GOV
Roosevelt to weakly yield to thei1
demands, as Senator Ford now saws
Commenting on the court decision
Senator Ford says: IT told Governor
Roosevelt that the creation Of a state
board OF tax commissioners was boil
expensive and unconstitutional. HI
told me that he mad been advised by
the very highest judicial authority
that even II the creation Of the STATE
tax commission was declared uncon,
%stitutional, that the establishment 81
the principle that q franchise or priv.
ilege could be taxed as real estate
would not be affected. He also told
me, however, that the same highest
judicial authority maintained that az
part Of the new bill was unconstitu.
tional. : = It has been saidthat
Governor Roosevelt was hoodwinked
by the corporations. / do not thinb
- rW 8