Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-02-24
The Antitrust fiasco.

The Antitrust fiaSco.
That President Roosevelt was in
earnest last fall when he made known
his intention to secure ANTITRUST leg
islation by the present Congress we
have no doubt. But that he would
succeed in procuring legislation that
would materially prevent the trust
magnates from continuing their ne
farious business, no one who has Civ, n
thought OF consideration to the lead
ing methods If politicians of the re-
publican party, for moment believed.
The trusts are ail-power in this
country. 1t is from them that the
money to elect republican presidents.
congressman ard legislators is obtain
ed, and as rule the tools do the bid
ding Of their masters rather than be
cast out Of the political fold to make
room for others who will.
Last Friday congress conclude the
legislation on trusts for the present
session, and as was to be expected, tie
trusts escaped without a scratch.
Walter Wellman, the Washington cor
respondent CT the Chicago Record
Herald, in letter to this paper, I'M
der date of the 14th. inst, says:
SPY the decisive vote of 241 to 6, I'M
der special order which cut off
amendments, after debate of an hour.
the house Of representatives yesterday
passed the so called Elkins antitrust
bill. This concludes the antitrust
legislative program for this session
All the trust busting bills that are tt
be passed have now gone through bott
houses and will soon be law-the de-
partment Of commerce, with Its public
ity attachment; the anti-rebate bill,
and measure designed to expedite
the decision of cases in the federal
courts, in other words, the program
adopted by the representatives OF
some of the big corporations and the
republican leaders has been carried
through without break.
1t goes without saying that the
trusts have not been hurt 1t is
known ito every public man il
Washington that the legislation now
adopted will not and cannot have the
slightest effect upon the operations o
the great trusts. In circumstance
which admit of frank speaking, no re
publican pIetends to claim that thi
legislation is anything more than a
dress parade affair. 1t was delibera.el,
designed to do two things:
l. To convince the people through
out the country that the republican
party is not afraid to legislate against
the trusts.
2. To convince the corporation
managers and trust chiefs that the re
publican party may be depended upo
not to do any thing that will hurt th
business interests.
1t is perfectly understood among al
classes Of people in Washington tina
the party leaders set out to perform
this trick Of riding both horses in tn,
trust ring, and the men who have en-
gineered the work feel proud Of thei
skill. They believe they will get cred
tamopg the people for having mad
a fair beginning toward trust leglsla
tion. They know they will get credi
among the trust owners for being con
servative, thoughtful and harmless
1t is also thoroughly understood b.
everyone who knows anything at al
about the subject that the republica
managers adopted this course upo
the following line of reasoning:
l. The people of the country de
mand ANTITRUST legislation, and W
must give them something that vii
satisfy them and put stop to th
pressure for more drastic action.
2. But in doing SO we must TAX
good care not to offend the bushes
interests.
The result is a series of laws which
In the opinion Of the best judges, wi!
have no more real effect upon 1ht
operations Of the trusts than a dror
OF water upon the back of a duck has
on the health and happines OF that
contentea fowl. ''-Manches ter Dom.