The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-30
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
VILIF|ED BY WILLIAMS,
AN ILLINOIS DEMOCRAT
Denounced as Too Cowardly to
Refer to the Tariff in His
Last Message.
ONCE A TRUST BUSTER"
But Now Regarded as Harmless
Agitator," but an Unsafe
Man." He Said.
ONCE A TRUST BUSTER

WASHINGTON. March 29.-For the want
civil appropriation bill in the House to-day
was closed several hours before the time
agreed on. and the bill was read for amend
ment. Seventy-five pages were disposed of,
the only important amendment adopted be-
ing one providing for an initial appropria-
ton of 100000 for the completion of the
Capitol building according to the original
design
Mr.. Campbell, of Kansas, and Mr.. Will
liams, of Illinois, were the principal speak
ers to-day, the former defending the pro-
tective tariff policy of the Republican par
ty, and the latter denouncing the Repub-
licans for failing to investigate the POST
office Department. Mr.. Williams said the
scandals in that department Will become
an important issue in the coming campaign
He arraigned President Roosevelt and At
torney General Knox regarding the trusts.
Before he came into office the President,
he said. was recognized trust buster.
but since then all his indictments against
the trusts were at once turned into apollo
gies. He said the President was harm
less agitator." and declared him to be an
unsafe man.
The President, he said, was too cow
ardly even to refer TO the subject of the
tariff in his last message and the floor
leader of the Republicans openly admitted
in the House that the Republican party
dare not touch the tariff until after the
presidential election. Mr.. Williams re-
ferred TO the merger decision and said the
President and attorney general had been
exchanging congratulations on the deci-
sion and the attorney general had rushed
country that they need not be alarmed
and were in no danger 80 long they
stood pat on the Republican party" If the
Republicans were in earnest in prosecuting
trusts, he said, they should go with
them while the courSis with you and the
people are with you, and If the law is not
with you, amend the law before Congress
adJourns and every Democrat will remain
here TO vote for your amendment" Under
the puny prosecutions of trusts, he said.
only 10000 or the large amount appropriate
ed had been expended. He then launched
into bitter denunciation of the Republic
ans for failing to investigate the Postoffice
public scandals of this administration a
very important issue in the next campaign.
No one, he said, could read the report of
the robbery and larceny in the Postoffice
Department and the reckless and notorious
methods with which they had been allowed
TO continue without fixing some RESPONSE
billty on the head of that department
When, he said. We see these serious
charges against the Postoffce Department,
the General Land Office and the Indian
Bureau with the Republican party on
guard, lat the door that leads into these
chambers of public plumber refusing adj
mttance to the peoples representatives,
who want an investigation, what conclu-
sion, he inquired, 'can the people come TO
except that you are afraid an investigation
Will unearth new crimes that will cast more
reflections upon the administration? If,
said Mr.. Williams. he had to select an issue
upon which all Democrats could unite, he
would say: Roosevelt must be defeated -
He referred to the characterization of
Mr.. Roosevelt before he became President
as The trust buster" but, he said, since
he came into power all his indictments
against the trusts were at once turned into
apologies, 1.-The trusts long since" ne de-
clared, amid Democratic laughter, "have
learned what a harmless agitator he is He
said that one of the greatest jokes on the
ment made made that Theodore Roosevelt
was to be the antitrust candidate in 1904. .
1t was no longer a secret he asserted. that
Guiding many who supported Mckinley do
not regard President Roosevelt as a safe
man. By many, he said, his administration
was looked Upon as continuing expert
ment entirely too theatrical for the bust
ness interests of the country without suf1i-
cient time between acts to allow the people
a breathing spell" He further attacked Mr.
Roosevelt when he said there were many
indictments in his administration which
justify the apprehension that ION some
strenuous occasion he is liable to go off
too suddenly and too inconsiderately in
some graver affairs of the government