Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-02-19
The Republican Party and the Trusts.

MOI many months ago tne democratic
leaders were claiming that tho Rcpubl-
can party was responsible for the trusts
nasmuch as the Republican policy of
protection according to their dictum, fos-
tered and promoted such monopolies and
they also held that the republicans openly
championed the interests of the trusts.
receiving in return the support OF such
aggregatons in various political contests.
When the populstic element of the Demo-
cratic party carne to the front it was ap-
parently an easy matter for the popo-
cratic standard bearer to make many be-
lleve that he was about the only friend
of the peoples interests in opposition to
tho trusts, and it is no secret that his
antitrust crusade was ono Of the promi-
nent factors of Bryans strength.
Every political observer knows that in
addition to the fact of the growth of gil
gantic combinations of capital under re-
publican protection. there were various
movements on the part of some of the
chief republican leaders, which served to
lend color to the Bryanite claims. For
example. Chairman Hanna of tho republic
can national committee came out as the
acknowledged champion of the project to
secure ship subsidies for American ships
under the specious plea that this policy
was necessary tor the promotion of our
merchant marine interests, in spite of
tho fact that at the very time j. Pierpont
Morgan and his associates were busy
buying up control Of various steamship
lines, both at home and abroad, and ex-
tending the powerful sway they had Sc
cured over transportation lines on land
to the commerce of the sea. Little won
der, therefore, that many people welded
to protection were moved at times to
wonder where all this playing into the
hands of the financial magnates was to
end.
This was the situation when President
Roosevelt determined to champion tho
cause Of the people at any cost. We all
know how on the eve of his tour through
Vermont last year he boldly proclaimed
his belief that Il republican caucus should
adopt measures to restrict the influence
and power of those great combinations
that were seeking to establish grinding
and how from that time to the very pros
ent he has continued to use his utmost
endeavor to lead his party in the straight
ard narrow path leading to relief from
oppressive monopolios; and how under
his persuasive influence the republicans
in Congress have taken up in earnest
/ the question of trust reform
IN hn
law, which, by the way, was a republican
measure, We now have legislation vest
ing in tho department of commerce. Just
created, the authority TO Investigate the
organization and methods Of corpora
tons engaged in interstate and foreign
trade, and to that end to compel the Civ
ing of testimony by persons having the
desired knowledge. We nave legislation
prohibiting the giving and taking of rail-
road rebates. We have legislation to ox-
pcdite the hearing of cases and giving
tho right of appeal directly to the supreme
court of the United States, so that no
unnecessary delay may be experienced in
connection with antitrust steps. And
now that the now fashion has become
thoroughly established IN republican
ranks, some of our national legislators
are proposing to adopt measures TO re-
strict oVer-ca pitalizaton and to discour-
age abuse of corporate rights by cnlarg-
ing the publicity features of new lcgis-
lation. II the Republican party is in any
danger in this connection at this time
therefore it is from over-action and
radicalism rather than in the direction
of timidty and inertia.
The expressions Of opinion INDUCED in
already by leading trust promoters in this
country would be sufficient to render i'm
possible any further charge that the Re-
publican party is shielding the trusts,
even il republicans in Congress were not
working overtime in their efforts to
place effective antitrust legislation on
our national statutes. 1t is no longer
possible to appeal to the country against
the administration party on the trust
issue, and il would not be strange If tho
next national contest were to sec the
national democrats trying to arragn the
republicans in Congress for paternaism
in interfering with great industrial COM
mercial enterprises.