Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-09-12

vi lIVSG ICBHOAbAbA(
ment and administration which must
be fixed and interchangeable. 1t is idle
to say that the monetary standard of
the nation is irrevocably liked so long
as the party which Mt the last election
cast approximately 46 per cent OF the
total vote refuses to put in its plat
form any statement that the question
is settled. "A determination to remain
silent cannot be accepted as equivalent
to a recantation.
As for, what our opponents say in
reference to capital and labor, individ-
ual or corporate, here again all we
need by way Of answer is to point to
what we have actually done and to say
that If continued in power we shall
continue to carry out the policy we
have been pursuing and to execute the
laws as resolutely and fearlessly in the
future as we have executed them in
the past.
The Trusts.
The action of the attorney general in
enforcing the antitrust and interstate
commerce laws and the action of the
last congress in enlarging the scope of
the interstate commerce law and in
creating the department of commerce
and labor, withya bureau of corpora
tions, have for the first time opened a
chance for the national government to
deal intelligently and adequately with
the questions affecting society, wheth-
err for good or for evil, because of the
accumulation of capital in great corpo-
rations and because of the new rela-
lions caused thereby. These laws are
now being administered with entire eff
ficiency, and as in their working need
is shown for amendment or addition to
them, whether better to secure the
proper publicity or better to guarantee
the rights of shippers or in any other
direction, this need will be met.
1t is now asserted that the common
law as developed affords a complete
legal remedy against monopolies." But
there is no common law of the United
States. It's rules can be enforced only
by the state courts and officers. No
federal court or officer could take any
action whatever under them. 1t was
this fact, coupled with the inability Of
the states to control trusts and monop-
oIies, which led to the passage of the
federal statutes known as the Sher-
man antitrust act and the interstate
commerce act, and it is only through
the exercise of the powers conferred by
these acts and by the statutes of the
last congress supplementing them that
the national government acquires any
Jurisdiction over the subject. To say
that action against trusts and monopo-
lies should be limited to the applica-
ton of the common law, is equivalent
to saying that the national government
should take no action whatever to reg
ulate them.
Undoubtedly the multiplication of
trusts and their increase in power have
been largely due to the failure of Off
Gals charged with the duty of enforc-
ing the law to take the necessary pro-
cedure.' Such structure upon the fail
ure of the officials of the national gov
eminent to do their duty in this mat
ter is certainly not wholly undeserved
as far as the administration preceding
President McKinley's is concerned, but
it has no application at all to Repub-
Iican administration. 1t is also I'M
doubtedly true that what is most need
ed is Officials having both the dispo-
sition and the courage to enforce exist
ing law" This is precisely the need
that has been met by the consistent
and steadily continued action of the
department of justice under the pres
ent administration.
Capital and Labor.
SO far as the rights of the individual
wage worker and the individual CAPT
talist are concerned. both as regards
one another, as regards the public and
as regards organized capital and Ia
Dor. the position OF the administration
has been so clear that there is no ex-
cuse for misrepresenting it and no
ground for opposing it unless misrep-
resented. Within the limits defined by
the national constitution the national
administration 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 n else.
1t has shown in effective fashion that
in endeavoring to make good this guar
antee it treats alb men, rich or poor,
whatever their creed, their color OF
their birthplace, as standing alike be-
fore the law.
Under our form of government the
sphere in which the nation as distin
guished from the state can act is mar
rowly circumscribed, but within tina
sphere all that could be done has beer
done. All thinking men are aware Of
the restriction upon the power of &C
ton of the national government il
such matters. Being ourselves mind
full of them, we Have been scrupulously
!, careful on the n hand to be mod
} crate in III promises and on the othel
hand to keep these promises in lettel
L and in spirit. Our opponents hav'
II -. -.No.oI H., $40 erraI, aa,a;lOr.