The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-10-21
K KNOX DEFENDS
THE PRESIDENT.
Former Attorney General Speaks
TO Union League Club.
AN EXCLUSIVE AUDIENCE
TELL HOW PRESIDENT "FouGHT"
TRUSTS AND MADE SUCCESS
TtONS TO CONGRESS
WHICH WERE ACTED
itpnM
Ry the Associated Precs.

tty tDe ASsOCAateu I'Tc@S.
New York, Oct 20.-Senator Knox,
former United states attorney gener-
al, spoke before the Union League
club tonight There was no. other
guest of the club and only Union Lea
que members were present
Mr.. Knox reviewed the attitude of
the republican party towards great
corporations and gave in detail the
situation as 1t confronted Presiden.
Roosevelt at the time the question OF
| the legality of the Northern Securitle2
company was brought up.
The Pcsidcnt's Course.
He then reviewed the course pur,
sued by the president. and the re-
quests of the Judiciary committees OF
both houses of congress upon him
| (Knox) as attorney general for sug.
gestions as to legislation necessary
These requests were brought to the
presidents attention.
| Now here was an opportunity,
Mr.. Knox continued for a president
who delighted to make inroads upon
the constitution to indulge himself TO
his hearts content, IL he had closed
his eggs and picked at random from
| tifty-one bills and resolutions then be
fore congress, he would likely have
drawn one that violated the consti.
tuition in several places. That defec'
characterized many of them.
Il had the honor to be deputed b.
the president TO express the conclu
sions he had reached and did SO II
was stated to be the pesident's view
that the end desired was that combin-
ations Of capital should be regulated
and not destroyed. ana that while OF
fectual measures should be taken te
correct the tendency towards monopo
ly, yet even a suggestion Of egisln.
tion regulating the business INTEREST,"
Of the country beyond a point necessa
ry to accomplish that end was thinE
to be avoided.
Monopoly Couldn't Exist?
THAT IL was believed that a mono
poly in any industry would be i'm
possible In this country where none,
is abundant and cheap and in tho
hands or within the reach Of capable
men, If competition were assured q
fair and open field and protected
against unfair, artificial and discrlm
mating practices.
That comprehensive plan should
be framed TO enable the government,
to get at all the facts bearing upon
the organization and practices OF con
Germs engaged in interstate and for
eign commerce essential to a full un
derstanding thereof
Another step In legislation which
was earnestly recommended was an
act to speed the final decision of
cases under the antitrust law. The
president thought Il too much to say
that with these gaps closed the
scheme or governmental regulation
would be complete. but that II was
clear that II was inadequate without
some such legislation, the enactment
of which would make long frs,
stride In advance.
Every one of the presidents sug
gestions was promptly acted upon and
became a law before the expiration
Of that session Of congress-"
Says President Has Been Faithful.
Mr.. Knox then discussed the aiti
tude of the democratic party In this
matter. reviewed the presidents in
tcrvention In the anthracite coal strike
and concluded: The president has
been faithful 90 his trust and just to
all the people. He has not swervef
from what to him seemed right TO
meet the views or avoid the criticism
OF any lie would not tolerate the
view that any man was above the
law. nor the suggestion that any man
who observed the Law was beyond its
spot action. no matter how small. or
how important his interests and no
matter how vociferms the hue and
cry against him His fairness to all
has aborted all efforts TO create a
class Of divisions and class issues
a