The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1904-09-29
HIS RECORD ON, TRUSTS.
Evidence Furnished by the Antitrust
League Entirely ignored.

thS NOW IOIR
He says that at frequent intervals he
and other officers of the league furn-
ished the president with "positve,
documentary and convincing proofs"
of the violations OF law by the trusts,
and that promises made at these times
were broken. He says that the action
of the administration against the North
ern Securities company was against
the newest of the trusts, which hardly
had time to do much damage even if it
was so disposed.
MISLEADING STATEMENT.
Mr.. Martin asserts that the presi-
dents claim that he has executed the
laws resolutely and fearlessly" can not
be made to apply to the enforcement
of antitrust laws, and that evidence in
the administrations possession was
not only put aside, but other evidence
easily procurable was not sought. On
this line Mr.. Martin says:
"The only two actions begun by
your administration for the enforce
ment of the antitrust laws were the
action for an injunction against
the Northern Securities company
and against the beef trust The first
We have already referred to, and the in
junction against the Northern Securi-
ties in the district court has never been
carried to the higher court, while the
trust has been openly violating both
the law AMI the injunction to your
knowledge, and to mine, and to that Of
every citizen of the United States.
"Three years ago the officers of the
American Antitrust League placed
in the possession of your administra-
tion positive proofs, incontestable
documentary evidence of fragrant and
enormously oppressive and injurious
violations of the law on the part of half
a dozen of the greatest trusts in the
United States. Both you and your at
torney general repeatedly promised,
sometimes orally and sometimes in
writing, that these cases would be
taken up and proceeded with. Every
one of these promises you have
broken"
Mr.. Martin takes issue with the state
ment in the presidents letter that
"the creation of bureau of corpora
tions and amendments to the inter
state commerce laws has for the first
time given chance to the national
government to deal intelligently and
adequately with the questions affecting
society, whether for good or evil, be-
cause of the accumulation of capital in
great corporations, and because of the
new relations caused thereby" He
says the bureau of corporation law was
not republican measure, but was in
troduced and pushed through the house
by Congressman Sulzer.
"And what have you done, Mr..
President, with the bureau of corpora
tions since it was organized?" Mr..
Martin asks. 'You appointed youl
private secretary, Mr.. Cortelyou, as
head of that department, and then, af'
ter he had collected all the data posi-
BILE about violations of the law on the
part OF the trusts, did you transmit
this data in proper report to congress-
or the peopleP Oh, no! The bureau
of corporations, which was intended a'
a bureau Of publicity, you have made
into a bureau of secrecy.
"You transferred Mr. Cortelyor
from the head of that department, will
all the secret information about thu
trusts in his possession, to the position
of chairman of the republican nationa
committee, where he can use his infor
nation to sandbag campaign contribu
tions out Of the trusts for your cam
paign fund, Mr.. President.
NO WARRANT EVER ISSUED.
against all the hundreds, aye
thousands OF men who have been praC