Mexico Missouri message., 1904-12-08

Now that the election Is over and
past, we can approach certain matters
of vital importance to the people from
the side OF non-partisanship and con-
slider them without reference 10 their
relation TO the success of one or an
other candidate for President. One OF
these matters is the status Of those
great combinations OF corporate inter
ests known as trusts, as regards the
general public. Heretofore, the trusts
nave intrenched themselves behind
the ramparts of privacy All that the
people know about them, beyond the
TACT OF their absolute dominance OF
industry, is what they please to make
public, and this is very little indeed,
utterly inconsequent and usually mis-.
leading. Yet these creations Of our
commercial and industrial system are
the arbiters of prosperity for our
working population and for our trades
men. The one great economic ques-
ton demanding immediate answer is
how to regulate and restrain the
trusts.
question in one of his recent commu.
nications to Congress. He set forth
the fact that the first condition of re-
form in existing conditions was pub
licity. Probe the trust situation, lay
before the people the innermost oper.
ations of these great concerns, and
public opinion would compel such an
adjustment of their relations TO gen.
eral business as should cure all
trouble. Congress took the President
at his word. To this end the bureau
of corporations was created in the new
Department of Commerce and Labor,
and its head was instructed by law to
make inquisitorial examination as 10
the organization and the operation OF
the trusts. He was told TO hold the
information thus procured at the
service of the President. who could
make public as much or as little of it
as suited his discretion.
Nothing has been made public OF
the facts obtained through the long
investigation by this department. The
President has authorized no publicity.
Yet it is by publicity alone, as he de
clared in his communication to Con
gress, that reform could be reached.
Surely it can't be reached intelligently
while he keeps the trust secrets Sc
curely sealed in the archives of the
department OF which Mr.. Cortelyou
was the head. Let Mr.. Roosevelt or.
der the publication of the whole OF
them-not a selected and carefully
edited abstract-and he will advance
the work Of emancipation of the pub
lie along the very lines which he rec.
commended.
There is another consideration,
looking toward a further publicity
than that to which President ROose-
welt is pledged. 1t regards the inter.
meddling of the trusts in elections. 1t
is matter Of "comman fame" that the
Republican campaign chest was filled
to overlooking in the recent contest by
the trusts and by individuals mainly
profting by trust privileges. The wi
| cious circle" was systematically de-
scribed by Judge Parker. Undue
protection that riches may be unfairly
acquired; contribution Of riches so ac-
quired that undue protection may be
| continued and extended" This is out
| side Mr.. ROOsevelt's programme Of
publicity; it goes a step further. The
President whose campaign for cleo
ton was financed by the trusts can.
not In good faith--or bad faith-order
these accounts opened to the public
Nevertheless this is necessary If we
wish to be informed as to the influ.
ence of these fairfield monopolies in
our system of government.
To meet this detail of the pro-
gramme Of publicity, 1t is necessary
that some law, such as the Corrupt
practices" act of Massachusetts but
drawn in manner to be more effect
i've, should be enacted by Congress.
There is already a demand for such
statute. 1t should apply not only to
the trusts but to all other interests or
individuals contributory to the cam.
paign fund Of a party in a national
election. 1t might amount to little or
nothing, but il would establish the
precedent of publicity.
President Roosevelt has a free hand
now for more than four years. His
first act should be to open the ar
chives of the trust inquisitory to the
public. And he should favor legisla.
ton compelling these combinations to
show what they pay for elections-his
own among the number.
Republican Party Absolute.