New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-13
SEEING THE TRUTH.

In his retirement at Esopus Judge Parker
must begin to think how silly he and his par
tisans must look after all their reckless talk
about the Presidents surrender to the trusts
and their predictions that nothing more would
be done to correct any trust abuses. Since eiec-
ton the Democratic papers have begun 10 us
cover that the administration has been pur-
suing the even tenor of its ways for the Ell
forcement of the antitrust law The Demo
cratic Brooklyn Eagle" one of the chief prom
ulgaters of the theory that the President had
put himself under the mastery OF the trusts,
confesses: Already it becomes clear that the
"guesses made in the heat of partisan passion
"as to the course of Theodore Roosevelt IN case
"of his election were wide OF the mark II
calls attention to the work which is being done
In the Department of Commerce and the POST
office Department to regulate the very AFFAIRS
which Democratic campaigners were most vol
uble In charging would be left alone. and seems
TO foresee the application Of high and wise
craftsmanship to the problem of correcting
abuses In the dealings of corporations with
both the government and the people.
1t appears that while partisan crlucs were
CRYING that the Beef Trust was permitted
to defy the law Mr.. Garfield was quiet
ly doing his duty and obtaining the evidence
for proceedings to enforce the injunction
which it was said the administration ala not
want 10 enforce If IT were still worth thelr
while we have no doubt the critics could COM
plain that the President did not shout his plans
from the housetops, and could say that he was
taking care not to offend the Beer Trust I'LL
after election, but if he had paraded his WORK
they would then have charged that it was
mere electioneering device. II they mad not
been too busy sandering the administration
however they might long ago have known what
others knew that the administration was not
satisfied that the Injunction which it obtained
was being strictly obeyed, and was falthIuLy
working to secure obedience to the law. The
business of the government was being carried
on in regular course through the campaign.
The antitrust law was being made operative
as fully and rapidly as the requirements OF
court procedure would allow, and alleged ex-
cessive payments In the railway mail service
were being carefully investigated. The Presi-
dent did not for electioneering purposes parade
DEPARTMENT operations at the sacrifice Of public
interests, and his opponents were so eager to
criticise that they could not stop TO see whether
or not there was any foundation for their COM
plants.
There is not and never has been any reason
IN doubt that the administration would proceed
theoretically with the enforcement OF the law
and the correction Of trust abuses 1t IS pro-
ceeding on sane, conservative principles In the
quiet but answering performance OF It's duty
unaffected by political eXigencies. Ana now
that they can afford to see 1t, the Democrats
do see it. 1t is perhaps too much to hope that
hereafter they will be less ready to let the
heat of partisan passion lead them into de-
nouncing the President as having bargalned
NOT to do his duty only to be obliged to con-
fess that he has been doing it all along.