Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-02
ANONYMOUS
REPLY MADE
Only Manner in Which
Republicans Answer
Charges
OF MULCTING TRUSTS
Judge Parker Points in Speech
Weakness of COrteIyOu'S
Position.
OF MULCTING TRUSTS

NC" lOIh, NON- @.-JuuSG IdIheT ia
his speech in Jersey City last night
reiterated the charge he made in his
speech Monday night at Madison
Square garden, that the trusts are fur
nishing the money with which they
hope TO control the election of Theo-
dore Roosevelt" He made more
extended address earlier in the even
ing in Newark, which was largely his
torical in its character. AT Jersey
City he said:
Because we are opposed to the pur-
chase of the electorate, and have felt
it our duty to say so. those who would
corrupt it to the end that their power
to plumber the people may continue
cry out in these closing hours of the
campaign that the business interests
would not be safe with a democratic
administration.
Cry Is False.
This cry is false, and those who ut.
ter it know it. We favor healthful
prosperity in which all the people may
share. We would encourage the ac-
cumuiation of property and would pro.
tect the present pOssessors of it inP
that possession under all circumstan-
ces.
But we would do all we could to
take away from the combinations and
trusts that power to oppress the peo-
pie which they now exercise. In other
words, We would put forth every eff
fort to thwart their illegal methods
of collecting tribute.
illegal methods of making money
do not constitute legitimate business,
although those who resort to them
may pose as business men. Our pur-
pose is TO deprive, so far as possible.
those Illegal combinations of their
present illegitimate advantage.
Trusts Furnish Money.
CAS- l had occasion to say before.
and / deem it my duty to say again.
the trusts are furnishing the money
with which they hope to control the
election.
Il am sorry to be obliged to say it.
If it were not true, | would not say
it to gain the presidency or any other
earthly reward. but it is true. and that
being so. it became my duty to warn
the people of it.
This l did in an address to the
people on the Gath day of October
more than a week ago. What happen
ed? The president summoned Senator
Knox to his presence. From that con-
sultation Knox emerged to give an in
terview which he said the president
had approved.
Did Not Meet Charge.
in it's criticism of myself. He did not,
however, meet the charge. He did not
deny it, He could not nor could the
other party to the consultation. On
Friday last, in public address, l call
ed attention to the fact that it had
not been met and could not be.
Promptly it was given out that Mr..
Cortelyou would make answer to the
CHARACTERIZATION the chairman of
the republican national committee. the
one time private secretary to the pres
ident, later member of the cabinet
as head of the department of commerce
and labor. and as such having the
right TO obtain the secrets of the so
called trusts, secrets which, under the
statute. may not go beyond the pres
ident if he so desires. And then it was
almost as promptly denied that he
had any such purpose.
Cites ExtortIOn Report.
THE New York Tribune of this
morning publishes a dispatch from
Washington under the head of 'Cortel-
you Falsely Accused with a subhead
saying that he has not extorted cam
paign contributions from corporations,
II gives what purports TO be the state
ment of d man who withholds his
name. He is described in the Tribune
article as "a man who knows all that
occurred at Mr. Cortelyou's last call
on the president Whether it was
the one or the other is left in doubt.
But in any event, 1t is Of no con-
sequence which one it was. for these
grave charges cannot be met anony-
mously. There are only two persons
who can interest the people of this
subject. If they have anything to say,
the people would like to have it said
promptly.
No Answer 10 Questions.
Weeks have passed since the New