Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1906-07-26
Suggestions
HlSREMEDIES FOR EXISTING EVILS
COPIED FROM DEMOCRACY
snow unmitigafed Gall in ATTACKING
r'r. Bryan Yet Acknowledging that
Democrats Were the First to Show
fhaf National Evils Existed, and
Pointed Out the Cure

In his speech at Greensboro. N. c.,
Secretary OF War Taft said: II ask YOU
to compare democratic promises with
republican actions. 1t may be noted
that while Mr.. Bryan has been most EN-
phatlc and eloquent in his description
and denunciation Of trusts and abuses OF
corporations and wealth, his suggested d
remedies for their prompt suppression
nave been very vague, unless, indeed
his proposal that the government buy or
condemn all interstate railways with
their immense mileage, and maintain
and operate them is to he regarded as
an immediate, ready, practical and
feasible remedy.
When it is recalled that the Roosevelt
administration has, in its proceedings
against the trusts, adopted suggestions
long ago and repeatedly made by demo-
crats-these suggested remedies" be.
ing explicit rather than vague-demo.
Gratis may be pardoned if, in the light OF
secretary Talt's big claim, they recall
that story OF bank cashier in west.
ern city. He had wrecked the bank,
and felt Extremely sorry" for the un.
fortunate situation of his victims.
a meeting OF the bank directory was
held ion the purpose OF devising means
OF saving something from the wreck.
The bank wrecker addressed the gath
erlng and said: Gentlemen, | am in.
deed very sorry for you. You don't
know how sorry am. Ii it would do
you any good, | would have my body
cut up into little pieces and distributed
among YOU"
One OF the directors was a very deaf
man, and he leaned over to colleagu e
who sat beside him and asked: "What
did he say he would do?''
His colleague replied: "He said ii it
would do any good. he would have his
body cut up in little pieces and distribu.
ted among u.s."
The deaf director leaned back in his
chair, heaved sigh and SAID: "Well,
if that Is done, speak for the gall"
Didn't Secretary Taft really overlook
something when he said that with the
exception OF the government ownership
plan, Mr.. Bryan's suggested remedies
were Every vague?"
The Kansas City platform suggested:
First-Publicity as to affairs of corpor.
ations engaged in interstate commerce.
Second-Reqniring all corporations
that have been doing business outside OF
the state Of their origin to show that
they had no water in their stock and
that they haye not attempted and are
not attempting to monopoize any branch
OF business or production OF any article
OF merchandise.
Third-The exercise of the whole con.
stltutlonal power of congress over inter
state commerce, mails and all modes OF
interstate communication.
Fourth-The enactment OF tariff laws
putting the products OF the trusts upon
the free list to prevent monopoly under
the plea OF protection.
For years Mr.. Bryan has pleaded in
public speech and through The Com.
moner for the enforcement OF the crimi.
nal clause of tue Sherman antitrust
law:
During Lis first term in congress, he
introduced bill giving to the president
the authority to remove the tariff from
any article which was the product of
trust agreement whenever such fact
could be established in court of com.
petent jurisdiction.
There is nothing vague about any OF
these remedies.
The Roosevelt administration has-in
an all too feeble way lit must be admitted
undertaken TO adopt the suggestion
with regard to the criminal clause of the
Sherman law. But no effort on this line
was made until recently, and the effort
that was made in that direction was
rendered impo.ent by the Immunity
BATH given to the packers by Mr.. Roos.
evelt's commissioner Of corporations.
The Roosevelt administration is also
on record as endorsing the suggestion
with respect to the federal license before
corporation may do business outside of
the state of its origin, although that
remedy has not bsen provided for by
law.
The suggestion concerning the use of
the mails is not at all vague. Indeed,
that remedy has been found to be very
effective whenever the administr alton
has employed it with respect to other
violations. Men who conspire in re.
straint OF trade and ners;stoptl, 1ofr