The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-09-24
KNUTE NELSON
At MADISON
SENIOR SENATOR MAKES ABLE
ADDRESS ON NATIONAL ISSUES.
Attitude of Roosevelt and Parker on
Trust Question Is Shown in Detail
Some Time Given to Eulogy Of Dunn
and Defense Against Attacks.

Some Time Given to Eulogy Of Dunn
and Defense Against Attacks.
Special to The journal.
Knute Nelson made his opening address
of the 1904 campaign in this city last
evening, speaking to a large audience,
which applauded his telling points.
The address was chiefly devoted to ma,
tional questions, reviewing the record
and achievements of the republican
dictory tactics of the democracy. The
democrats, he said, had usually sought
to gain favor by appropriating ground
held by the republicans four or more
years previous. This is their present
attitude, for aside from some glittering
and and definite, iy1 s. Their only tangi-
BILE issue is their candidate, and his
environment. ~ -,
Reviewing the history Of the republ-
can party, Senator Nelson dwelt on the
financial legislation fathered by one re-
publican congress after another. He
debt by republican economy, after the
civil war and again following the Span
ish war. The retirement of greenbacks,
the adoption of the gold standard, and
the wise provisions for a national bank
currency, were treated Of in detail,
Industrial growth and development Of
the nation under republican administra-
tions, and the development Of our manu-
features which has finally turned the
balance Of trade in favor Of the. United
States. The encouragement Of manu-
was shown to be due to republican lead
ers and measures. The democracy, he
| showed. had always been hostile to the
protective tariff, and SO declared in the
| 1904 platform, denouncing protection as
"a robbery Of the many to enrich the
The record Of the democracy with ref
erence to the trusts was shown up, with
the remark that the party might with
better grace have omitted it's attack on
the trusts. The theory that the trusts
have been built up by the tariff Senator
Nelson, controverted. by the, report of
some Of the largest trusts have no tariff
protection, while in England manv
trusts have grown up without snv tariff
at all. The removal of the tariff would
not abolish trusts unless it abolished
the industries, for 1t would hurt the
small producers. Just as hard in proper
ton as the combinations.
The difficulty Of controlling trusts by
national legislation was explained, ant
Senator Nelson epitomized the fedora
legislation on the subject as follows:
Federal Legislation on Trusts.
Fdrst-The interstate commerce law O
1887, enacted by a democratic house AM
republican senate.
} Second--A clause In the Wilson tariff
law Of 1894 prohibiting combination
among importers. And this was the onl
attempt at antitrust legislation, mad
10 WV 1r,I,o
I in power
Third-The so-called Sherman antitrus
law in 1890, passed during Harrlson's ad
ministration by republican house an
republican senate, and which in clea
terms prohibits monopolies and combina
4 lions in restraint Of interstate comm cree
4 Fourth-The act Of Feb. II, 1903, expe
dting trials Of suits to enforce the Sher
man law. 49,
Fifth-The act of Feb. II, 1904, estah
4 fishing the department of commerce an
| labor, with bureau of corporations hay
ing power to gather secure and publis
thoro information in regard to the o.
ganization and operation Of all corpora
| tons engaged in interstate commerce.
| Sixth-The act Of Feb 10, 1904, amend
| ing the Interstate commerce law by er
| larging the powers of the commission ar
| the courts and prohibiting rebates ar
| drawbacks Of every kind.
/ Seventh-On Feb. rs, 1904, an act W;
passed appropriating 100000 to enfor,
4 the provisions of the antitrust law al
/ vesting the attorney general with pow
to employ special counsel and agents
l conduct suits and prosecutions under tt
1 law; and,
| Eighth-On March 8, 1904, an act w
J. passed providing for the appointment
an assistant attorney general to assist
- the enforcement of the antitrust law.
\ All this legislation, Senator Nels.
"a explained has been enacted by the I
~ publican party. The democrats, on t,
Ia other hand, blocked in the house t.
III constitutional amendment designed
81 trusts They did this for the avow
81 reason that such an amendment won
Ia rob them of trust issue.
b Parker VS.. Roosevelt.
81 Senator Nelson then showed up t
III attitude Of Judge Parker on the trr
n question, reading from his decision
81 tional Druggists association, in viii
n he held that this combination was r
u a trust, altho it had entered into
@ agreement to fix prices. This decisi
N he advanced as one Of the reasons W
u Judge Parker is considered "saf'
III man.
d In striking contrast to this positi
b Senator Nelson gave a review of Pre-
d dent Roosevelt's action to suppr
81 trusts, quoting from the report of l
M torney General Knox, which enumerat
y the litigation. It included cases agai
~ the Northern Securities company,
" beef trust, the railroad injunction SUI
the Florida Wholesale Grocers' as
= citation, the salt trust. the coal car
"a ing railroads in the Baird case, the
IA and straw classification case and
@ cotton traffic pool cases. In contrast
81 this, not an action was brought
b ing the Cleveland administration.
"a Progress in Philippines.
Senator Nelson then took up the qu