Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-10-03
ADDRESS BY
SENATOR KNOX
tconl!nuoa From Page Ffvel

uft tlt1t NV NH'f''
The people know the past of the
two contained parties. They know
the policies for which they stand.
They know the effect upon the coun.
try's welfare Of administration under
the different policies, They know
the difference between experience
and inexperience In public men.
They know the potency Of influence
with inexperienced public servants,
and they know how TO sympathize
with, but avoid, a reputable candidate
whose political intimacles are noto-
riously bad.
Peonage.
The extent 10 which the criminal
oppression OF ignorant negroes vas
practiced In parts OF the South and
the efforts and success OF the govern.
ment In breaking It up through pro-
secutlons under the peonage statutes
Is an interesting and important chap.
ter in the history Of the Roosevelt adj
minlstrataon which deserves ~ be
o generally known.
The successful prosecution ever ms
tituted under the peonage laws OF
the United States outside OF the ter
ritory Of New Mexico, where It was
practiced many years ago by the Mex
leans, was begun In the year 1901.
Since when, through the vigilance
OF the regular and specially engaged
officers OF the government. many in
dictments and convictions have been
secured.
The result obtained by these pre-
secutions may be best stated In the
words Of a United States Judge In a
letter recommending the pardon Of
one Of the offenders.
He said. THE question: Of pardon
may, therefore. be properly considered
now solely as regards It's effect upon
the administration Of justice and the
public welfare. The law has been
thoroughly indicated, and the evil.
against which Ii was directed. I'm
these communities, has been ON.
pleteiy crushed. Connivance with
the abuses OF corrupt magistrates ia
that locality, In the exercise OF the
power TO hire out offenders for nay.
ment OF fine and costs on conviction
Tor small and often sham offenses.
In order to creap profit for the hirer,
has been thoroughly exposed and
broken up, II has met the hearty re.
probation Of the great mass Of the
people In all walks OF life. The ex
ample has been all sufficient to de-
ter others from like offenses In the
future
These cases are cited to show that
no citizen OF the United States Ii SO
humble as to have had his rights
overlooked under this administra.
Ton. M have any been so great aud
powerful az to have been permitted
TO defy the law, as | shall now pro-
coed TO show.
Antitrust Act.
1t is probably true that no govern.
ment litigation for many years has
been more important to the people
Of the United States, or possessed OF
greater interest, than the suits 70
enforce the laws which Congress has
passed to protect trade and commerce
against unlawful restraints and mo-
nopolies and TO keep the great high.
ways and agencies of Interstate Com.
merce open 70 the use of all upon
equal Terms.
II VIII not be pssihle for me now
to do more than give n general state
ment of these cases. The policy az
the administration In respect to these
suits, their eftecl upon the material
and other interests Of the country.
hope may have the opportunity TO
discuss another time during this cam.
paign.
The situation as Il the law when
the present administration came into
power was this. The Supreme Court
had decided that the Antitrust Act
did no apply 10 combinations formed
10 control the instrumentalities of
production, because production is
not commerce, and that this is the
law ever though The products Of
these instrumentalitles entered into
and became part of Interstate com
merce, for the reason that the effect
OF the combination upon such COM.
merce was Indirect and remote.
The court, however. had decided
in a notable railroad case that a com.
bination between several lndepend.
ent railroad companies to maintain
rates was prohibited by the law. and
when a new device was EMPLOYED To
defeat this decision tho court went
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