The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-09-28
ne BROKE HIS WORD.
Sec. of Antitrust League on
.Rooseveit's Altitude.
The Bureau Of Corporations Intended to
lnsure Publicity Has Been Made One
of Secrecy.

Washington, D. c., Sept. 20.-H.
B. Martin, a national secretary OF the
american Antitrust league, has sent
a letter to President Roosevelt bitter
ly attacking his attitude toward the
trusts and fatty accusing him of
braeking his word.
Mr. Martin reminds Mr.. Roosevelt
that counsel for the Anti Trust league
repeatedly urged him in 1901, 1902, 1905
and 1904 to prosecute half dozen OF
the Oldest, most powerful and most
notorious offenders against the anti
trust law, and says:
You will remember that after We
had furnished, even personally handed
20 Won at the white house, positive
documentary, conyicting proofs OF the
guilt OF these offenders, that both
yourself and your attorney general
made definite and positive promises
that you would take up these cases.
You will also remember hoR both
yourself and your attorney general
have brazenly broken your words and
failed 10 keep your promises IN those
cases. =
Mr.. Martin points out that the one
injunction against the Northern Secu-
rites company was not pressed
through to the supreme cuort, and
asserts that rumors are afoat that
the hasty display OF energy IN that
case Wassfar more benefit to one OF the
rival syndicates seeking a monopoly OF
Pacific railway lines than it was to
the people.
sfThree years ago, Mr.. Martin goes
ou1 6 the officers of the american
Anti Trust league placed In the pos
session of your administration positive
uroofs, inconestable documentary
evidence OF fragrant and enormously
oppressive and injurious violations OF
the law on tile part of half a dozen OF
the greatest trusts Ia the United
States. Both you and your attorney
general repeatedly promisea, some
times orally and sometimes in writing.
that these cases would be taken MP
and proceeded with Every one OF
these promises yop have broken
Mr.. Martin denies the presidents s
claim chat the bureau OF corporations
was Republicans measure, declaring
it was put through by a Democratic
representative.
s.And what, have yon done with the
bureau OF corporations since 1t was
organizedo' Mr.. Martin asks You
appointed your secretary, Mr. Cortel-
you, as head of that department and
then, after he collected ali the data
possible abont violations Of the Law
on the part of the trusts, did you
| transmit these data in proper report
to congress or the people? On, no!
ssThe bureau Of corporations. which
was intended as a bureau OF publ
| city, yon have made bureau OF sec
recy, and you transferred MT. Cortel.
| you from head of that department,
with all this secret information about
the trusts in his possession, to the
| position Of chairman of the Republi.
can national committee, where he car
use this information to sandbag con.
6ributions out, Of the trusts for your
campaign as president.
sc Against all the hundreds. aye,
thousands, of men who have been prac
| ticing plun3er and extortion upor
the people in violation Of the anti
trust Law which provides for tieil
punishment, you and your attorney
general have never caused a single
! warrant to issue, nor single arres'
to be made, nor the conviction of
single one to be secured.
/ Nay, even worse, for to the mos
powerful and notorious OF thess
offenders against the antitrust law.
! the proofs of whose criminality hae
already been placed in your hands,
You extended the hospitalities of the
| white house and treated them in every
| way as if you were not perfectly aware
that they were guilty Of one of the
meanest, most monstrous and mos
inexcusable offenses of modern times
! And you in return accepted their hos
pitality. You accepted gifts of great
value from men whom you knew were
lawbreakers. -