The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-05-01
The Trust Busting Issue.
Absurdity of Taking Two Positions in
Regard to the Trusts.

AbSurdlty Of Taking Two Positions ID
Regard to the Trusts.
If the Democrats want to select
tTust-busting as one of the issues of
the campaign, the Republicans are
willing to accommodate them. But
they have got to take one horn or the
other of the dilemma Either Presi-
dent Roosevelt has gone further than
he ought in the prosecution of the
trusts, and should be condemned for
his reckless disturbance of legitimate
business interests, or he has not gone
as far as he ought, and should be
condemned for his timidity and for
his sacrifice of the cause of the peo-
pie to the rapacity of the trust pro-
moters.
The Democrats, unless they want
TO make themselves ridiculous, can
not bang away at him simultaneously
with both sets of accusations. They
will find inconvenience either way.
If they attack Mr.. Roosevelt for be-
ing too aggressive, the inference will
be that, if they come into power.
they mean to be less so. That will
hurt the Democrats with a large part
of their following, and especially with
the elements which have been domi-
nant in the last two campaigns. On
the other hand, If the Democrats at
pnncnx-aff or hos,
gressive enough, that involves the
promise that il they are given au-
thority they will be a great deal
more aggressive. This attitude is cal
culated TO startle conservatives of the
August Belmont type, who are relied
upon for the sinews of war, and it
would make the candidacy of Parker
an absurdity
The demonstration in the House is
not conclusive as 10 the Democratic
intentions. Mr.. Williams resolution
is not TO be taken seriously II is a
bit Of campaign strategy. But by the
time that the Democrats get TO writ
ing their national platform at st.
Louis. if not sooner, they must make
up their minds whether they will take
the ultra-radical or the ultra-con-
sentative side of this issue.
Democrats who imagine that votes
can be gained for them by comparing
Republican and Democratic records
on the trust question are invited to
study the statement printed editorial
ly by the leading Democratic news
paper of the country, the New York
World, last month. Here it is:
l. The antitrust law was framed
by a Republican, was passed by a
Republican House and a Republican
Senate, was signed by a Republican
President.
2. The law remained a dead letter
on the statute books during the en-
tire second term of Grover Cleveland,
Democratic President. Through
those four years of Democratic ad-
ministration all appeals and all eff
forts of the World" to have the law
enforced were met with sneers, jeers,
and open contempt from a Demo-
cratic Attorney General. Richard o.
ney, who pretended that the law was
unconstitutional, and who would do
nothing toward prosecuting yiolators
of it,
/ 3. The first effort TO enforce the
law was made by Theodore Roose-
welt, a Republican President. The
first Attorney General to vigorously
prosecute offenders and to test the
law was a Republican Attorney Gen
eral, Philander c. Knox.
4. The decision Of the Supreme
Court of the United States, given as
a fnality from which there is no ap-
peal, unfolding the law as perfectly
constitutional and absolutely impreg-
nable in every respect, as the
World" for twelve years constantly
insisted. was due to five judges, every
one of whom is a Republican
8. The dissenting minority of the
court included every Democratic
judge Of that tribunal, to-wit: Chief
! Justice Fuller. of Illinois; Mr. Justice
White, of Louisiana, and Mr.. Justice
Peckham, Of New York. All these
distinguished Democrats not only
voted against the constitutionality of
the law, but denounced it as a danger
{ TO the Republic.
( 6. Under these circumstances it
does not seem probable that the
Democrats can make great capital in
seeking to monopolize the antitrust
issue and charging the Republican
party with the crime of being owned
body and soul by the trusts.
1t is just as well to record some
plain truths, however unpleasant or
1 surprising.