The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-23

corporations; all the criticism because
Of the late beef inquiry; and predictions
Of a repetition of this in the STANDARD
Oil inquiry, will fall harmless.
James Rudolph Garfield is a young
man. He is scarce 40. He is quick and
active, mentally, morally, and physical
~. He IS not tall, but his figure i'm
presses you; his carriage and his every
action rather suggest the president, who
Is all action. Garfield has kindly face.
But it is firm and full of force. His
eyes are blue, and they can look
straight at you and penetrate you. His
handshal1e is quick and firm and strong.
His jaw is square and decisive. He is
no weakling, nor the ordinary son of
q great man." as has been charged.
Garfield is the second son of the late
President James A. Garfield. He was
educated in the schools of Washington,
and in more than one university. He
knows public men and public life. In
his home at Cleveland he was a
thorough young lawyer, and successful.
President Roosevelt had met him, and
liked him. So. shortly after he became
president Of the United States, he sent
for the young Ohio man and made him
q civil service commissioner. Then
when the department of commerce and
labor was created by congress, and
the bureau Of corporations was formed,
the president took his young civil SER
vice commissioner and made him COM
missioner of corpora lions. The law Gre
ating the department of commerce and
labor, with its corporations bureau, pro-
vided that the commissioner of that bu-
Eeau should delve into facts connected
with corporations and make reports to
the president for his guidance. Garfield
has been doing this ever since his ap-
pointment. Only in his latest report did
he urge strongly the federal incOrpora-
ton Of corporations, and their license
When Representative phil Camp
bell some weeks ago came to the con-
clusion that he was going to try to do
something to stop Standard Oil depre-
dRtkons in Kansas and elsewhere, he
went first Of all to young Mr. Garfield.
They talked over the situation careful
". Mr.. Garfield thought there was no
real way under existing conditions of
getting at the desired result. Then
Campbell preached his resolution, or his
proposed resolution. Mr. Garfield said
* was Just the thing. Campbell and the
commissioner of corporations visited
the secretary of commerce and labor,
and later, the president So the COM
missioner of corporations knew what
was proposed before it was actually &C
complished, and is in full sympathy
with the spirit Of Mr.. CampbelFs inten-
lions.
Garfield's famous beef report. The
critics do not stop to consider that the
greatest source of revenue and adYan-
fage to the beef trust lies in the re
privileges. They rushed into print with
criticism of Garfield because he stated
that the packers made only profit OF
$40 per animal in the first instance. IL
was not remembered that Mr.. Garfield's
Investigation had nothing to do with
these special privileges of the packers,
benefit. 1t is continually alleged that
the packing trust gets a mileage of
three cents per mile for its private
cars empty or filled, long haul or short
hot 4r- cd arr1 ff1a
bates and icing charges, whether ice
is consumed or not. Nor is it remem-
bered that the beef trust uses its pri-
waite cars not only for dressed beef. all
over the United States but for poultry.
eggs. fruit, vegetables, and practically
everything in the food line. Therein lie
the great revenues derived by the beef
trust But these facts viii partially
come out, it is not doubted by serious
persons, IL the suit OF the department
of justice against the beef trust, and in
the forthcoming contest over railroad
rates. in congress next session. Then
Mr.. Garfield may have some vindication-
Another favorite form of criticism of
Mr.. Garfield in Kansas is because he
proposes to have secret sessions in his
Investigations and not the open court
Investigations desired by Monnett, and
Senators Smith and Fitzpatrick. Per
sons OF serious thought and judgment
will quickly recall that in all grand
juries, the inquisition is secret: that the
tendency of the man on the rack is to
conceal things in a public investigation
which he will yield up when alone with
the inquisitor and stenographer, inside
four walls. and with no one else present
1t is in this way that secrets so neces-
sari1y desired by the government are to
be obtained. and it is in this way that
Mr. Garfield wisely viii proceed.
There need be no question about the
s'open court form Of the fnquisition-l
Mr.. Garfield viii. not hold these
A Kansas City paper urfriendly to
Mr. Garfield and the forthcoming IN
vestfgation recently descanted on the
fact that bfr. Garfield could not be ex-
pected to do very much in his beef trust
Investigation, because he married into