The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-28
Tho Presidents Proofs.

II was a year ago that the President,
escaping from the wearying drudgery
of faithfully executing all Federal laws,
~took to the road, affirming that capital
was unreasonably, unlawfully and con-
tinually restraining trade, instead OF
releasing and promoting it, and, there
fore, capital should be restrained by the
Government of which he then happened
to be the executive head.
The declaration made by one holding
and exercising the Office and the vast
powers of President was startling and
could but be serious in It's consequences.
1t was gratuitous, unprovoked and I'M
called for by any conduct of capital In
regard to the President, either as an in
dividual or as an officer, or in regard to
the Administration OF which he was the
chief. Capital had stood by him and
upheld him, as it had his predecessor.
The relations between capital and him
self we're, so far as the country could dis
Germ, most satisfactory
JACKSON, in his memorable contest
money power believed, or thought he
believed, that "the Bank had, for selfish
purposes, assaulted him, his Administra-
ton and his party He exercised his
power in sef-defence.
BRYAN used his then persuasive tongue
and pen in way to persuade the farmers
of the West and the planters Of the South
that American capital had conspired
with European capital, and especially
British capital, to demonetize silver and
thereby decrease the dollar price Of their
products and increase the burden Of
their debts Thus farmers and planters
were, till Mr.. MCKINLEY's election, in
fected with the idea that American CAPT.
tai was seeking to devour them, but,
after his Inauguration. when capital
had emerged from its mysterious caves.
labor began to feel again its friendly
supporting hand. That relation Of con-
fidence continued till MCKINLEY died,
and so far as concerned the wish
and effort OF capital it would be in
existence to-day.
Into a full consideration OF the mo-
tives impeling his successor to sunder
those relations there ia no occasion at
this time to enter.
When the disagreement between CAPT
tai and labor became acute in the coal
mines Of Pennsylvania, the preliminary
WAYS and means used by the German
Emperor, under similar conditions in
north Prussia and Silesia, were copied
by the President. The leaders were
summoned into his presence, each side
was lectured, and then ordered to de-
part in order to agree together Finally,
he took the dispute into his own hands,
under circumstances which revealed, &C
cording to the rule that every one in
tends the natural consequences Of his
acts, an intention to proclaim to the
walking delegates Of the unions that
they could look to him thenceforth as
q partisan of theirs.
Day by day, speech by speech, North.
South, East and West, raids against CAPT.
tai conducted by the President went on.
Nobody could think OF any other than
one motive. Finally, Congress was Off
ciaIly called upon by him to authorize the
head Of the new Department of Com
merce to use the tremendous power OF
the United States in carrying on inquisi-
ton into the doings of corporations and
report the result to the President Con-
gress did what it had been called on to do
by the President.
Up to that time the taking care that
corporations promoters, under
writer's, agents, directors, vendors Of
shares and bonds-obeyed the law of the
land, common law and equity law, had
been intrusted to the judicial branch of
the Government, on complaint by any
proper party alleging injury
II liz to be hoped and assumed that the
President when he began his assaults
on capital capitalists and corporations
year ago had in his possession evidence
showing n probable cause for him to
believe that capital was unreasonably
/ restraining trade and doing all the
other unlawful things he intmated.
y Ii is to be taken for granted that he
straightway placed all the evidence in
the hands Of Secretary CoRTELYoU and
that the Secretary has ever since been
conducting a vigorous inquisition to
deterninath truth or falsehood OF the
Presidents information against capital