Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-12

now asserted that tho common law as de-
veloped, affords complete legal remedy
| against monopolies." But there Is no COM
mon law OF the Unite1 States. Its rule can
| be enforced only by the state courts and
] officers. No federal court or officer could
take any cotton whatever under them
1t was this fact, coupled with the inability
lies, which led to the, passage of the federal
| statutes known as the Sherman ANTITRUST
| act and the interstate Commences act. and
" is only through the exercise of the pow
ers conferred by these acts. and by the
| statutes of the last CsnEress supniementine
them, that the national government ac-
quires any Jurisdiction over the subject. To
las s shi aci,on against trusts and monopo-
me common law is equivalent to saying that
the national government should take no
aG ITndo whatever to to rsgslate them.
| and their increase In power has been Ia roe.
iy due to the failure of officials charged
with the duty Of enforcing the law to take
n one necessary zee procedure" Such structure
| tlonal government to do their duty in this
matter is certainly not wholly undersigned
as far as the administration preceding
has no application at ell to repuhIican al.
ministratfon. 1t Is also undoubtedly true
| .hat what is most needed Is Officials hay-
ing both the disposition and the courage to
| the need that has been met by the con-
| sistent and steadily continued action of the
| Department of Justice under the present
administration.
Attitude Toward individuals,
| So far as the rights of the individual
wage-worker and the individual CAPITALIST
| are concerned, both as regards one another.
| as regards the public, and as regards Or
| ganized capital and labor, the position OF
the administration has been so clear that
there Is no excuse for misrepresenting it,
and no ground for opposing it unless mis-
represented Within the limits defined by
the national Constitution the national ad-
ministration has sought to secure to each
| man the full enjoyment of his right to live
his life and dispose of his property and his
labor as he deems best SO long as he
wrongs no one else. 1t has shown in eff
fective fashion that in endeavoring to make
good this guarantee, 1t treats all men, rich
or poor, whatever their creed their color or
their birthplace, as standing alike before
the law .r
Under our form of government the sphere
IN which the nation as distinguished from
the state can act is narrowly circumscribed;
but within that sphere all that could be
done has been done. All thinking men are
aware of the restrictions upon the power
Of action of the national government in
such matters. Being ourselves mindful of
them, we have been scrupulously careful on
the one hand to be moderate in our prom
ises, and on the other hand to keep these
promises in letter and in spirit. Our op-
ponents have been hampered by no such
considerations They have promised, and
many of them now promise. action which
they could by no possibility take in the ex
ercise of constitutional power, and which,
If attempted, would bring business to a
standstill; they have used and often now
use, language of wild invective and appeal
to all the baser passions which tend to ex-
cite one set of Americans against their fell
lowAmercans, and yet whenever they
have had power they have fittlngly supple
mented this extravaganza of promise by
absolute nullity in performance
- Equality of Citizens.
This government is based upon the funda-
mental idea that each man, no matter what
his occupation, his race. or his religious be-
lief is entitled to be treated on his worth |
as a man, and neither favored nor dis
eliminated against because of any accident |
in his position. Even here at home there |
is painful difficulty in the effort to realize |
this ideal; and the attempt to secure from
other nations acknowledgment of 1t some |
times encounters obstacles that arc well !
nigh insuperabe; for there are many ma
lions which in the slo wprocession of the |
ages have not yet reached that point where |
the principles which Americans regard as |
automatic obtain any recognition whatever.
One of the chief difficulties arises in con-
nection with certain American citizens of |
foreign birth, or of particular creed, who |
desire to travel abroad. Russia, for in |
stance. refuses to admit and protect Jews.
Turkey refuses to admit and protect GER
tain sects of Christians. This Govern
ment has consistently demanded equal pro-
lection abroad for all American citizens
w whether nod native or naturalized. On March
n, 1899. Secretary Hay sent a letter CT
instructions to all the diplomatic and con-
sular officers of the United States in which
ne said: This Department does not DIS
crlmlnate between natye-born and natural
lied citizens in according them protection
While they are abroad equality Of treatment
pelng required by the laws of the United
states: These orders to agents abroad |
nave been repeated again and again and |
are treated the fundamental rule of CON |
Duct laid down for them, proceeding upon
the theory that all naturalized citizens of |
me ohited states while in foreign countries
are entitled to and shall receive from this |
government the same protection of ner |
sons and property which is accorded to ma
tlve-born citizens
In issuing passports the State Department |
never oiscflfnnates, or alludes to any mans
relgloh; and IN granting to every American |
GltlZen, native or naturalized Christian or
oeW, me same passport, so far as 1t has
power IL insists that all foreign ,oyarn |
ments shall accept the passport as nriro, !
iacle PROOF that the person therein described |
- rs, citizen OF the United States and en-
~ r.reu ~ projection as such. 1t Is a stand
ing order to every American diplo,natic
ana consular officer to protect every Amerf
can citlzen, of whatever faith from unjust
iiaoieslation; and our officers abroad have
"a NseHtiy required to comply with |
Ignorance or Thsincerity.
ohder such circumstances, the demand
Vi our opponents that negotiations be he
& uh 10 secure equal treatment of all Ameri- |
cans from those governments which do not
no" accord 1t, shows either ignorance Of
the racts or insincerity. No change of
poiics IN the method or manner of ne
EQUATION would add effectiveness to what
; ,ne state Department has done and is do
ins- me steady pressure which the de-
PAT partment has been keeping up in the past |
VIII De continued in the future This ad-
lIiiinlstrauon has all proper occasions |
SVEN cieaf expression to the belief of the |
american people that discrimination and
oppression because of religion, wherever
pracuced are acts of Injustice before God
' . man; and in making evident to the |
y, woIid the depth of American convictions
,n TINS regard we have gone to the very
iiIu' OF automatic usage.
~ is striking evidence of our onro-
nents lnslncerity in this matter that With
e eneir demand for radical action by the
s.ate department they couple demand
.or a reduction in our small military es-
"a aDlshment. Yet they must know that
: t ne need paid to our, protests against i'll