Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1904-09-15
ACock and Bull Story.

Perhaps the meanest and most con.
temptible incident Of the campaign
thus far is the circulation through Re.
publican papers 90 part of An alleged
Especial service" of . story intended
to curry favor for President Roosevelt
by representing him as an implacable
enemy of the Standard Oil company
and the United States Steel corpora
ton. It is . fabric of unauthorized
lies from beginning to end. It relates
with great show of truth how an agent
Of the Rockefellers recently visited
President Roosevelt to get some as
sursnce that the Sherman antitrust
act would not be applied to the great
corporation in which those millionaire
monopolists and friends of the presi-
dent are interested. The sixth-rate re-
porter who evidently prepared this
document relates in deplorable repor-
torial terms the circumstances of the
fabricated interview, ending thus
"War or no war;" said the president,
II will be no weakling. The law shall
be no byword with me-" The discus
sion ended.
From q humorous point of view this
Is rather good. As an attempt to de-.
lude the voter by upright and down.
right lying on q grand: scale it 10 be-
meath contempt. The facts are that
the Rockefeller and the interests most
closely connected with the most abom.
Unable monopolies in the United States
today are behind President Roosevelt.
The fact as stated in repeated and un'
contrsdicted reports. is that be was
visited recently at Oyster Bav by J.
Pierpont Morgan and treaty OF peace
agreed upon between them. The fact
is that after this understanding was
reached. and not until tten, the New
York Sun, q special representative OF
trust interests among the newspapers
in this country, came out flat-footed
for Mr.. Roosevelt. whom it had, up to
that time, treated alternately with de-
nunciation and derision.
The truth is that President Roose'
welt carefully planned his campaign in
order to make Just such bargains. He
directed the pushing of one suit under
the Sherman act where he thought it
could work him no political injury.
He then, by himself and through the
department Of Justice, served notice
and gave warning to the real trusts
who had not been molested. On the
one hand they were told that they
could and would DO prosecuted and
broken up. On the other hand was a
promise to be good if they would come
into camp and help elect the Roosevelt
ticket. That is the whole story and the
facts sustain it. Under the Sherman
act the Standard Oil company, the
United States Steel corporation, the
coal combination, the beef trust, the
white paper trust and every one of 9
dozen more of actual monopolies ex'
listing in this country today, in de-
fiance of common law, of state law and
of federal statute, could have been
dissolved before this time had there
been the slightest sincerity in the st'
titude of the administration, or the
slightest intent to enforce the laws.
1t passes the bounds Of ordinary de.
cency when man and party that have
adopted this method put on the aire
OF virtue. 1t is bad enough that Presi.
dent Roosevelt \ahould have, with the
assistance Of Attorney General Knox,
elaborated = principle which. in Z
smaller field and among less respect.
able people, would be called by the un.
feeling black mail. 1t was bad enough
for the president to shake bis rod over
the trusts and then say that the ad.
ministration did not intend "to run
amuck" among the business interests
of the country. 1t was bad enough for
campaign managers and campaign COL
lectors to use this situation to procure
money and pledges of support, with
the understanding that the law would
he pushed against recalicitrant and
| unenforced upon those who we're
plant. 1t was shameful enough that an
action should be carried through the
highest courts onlv that combinations
directly within the scope Of the law
might be exempted from its operation
for q consideration. All this hideous
performance in the name of virtue and
law enforcement and public good
should he, for ite inherent hypocrisy a
bvword and Kissing among the hon.
est people OF this county.
Street hats at reduced prices al