The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-07-12
Judge Parker Corrects
 Public Impression.
THE OLD LAWS AND THE NEW
Not a Prosecution Under Recently
 Enacted Statute.
Democrat auotes from His Former Ut- terances and Letters to Show
 That sumclent Laws Were Upon the Books.

New York, July 1i.-Former Judge Alton P. Parker, In a statement given out today. took issue with some of the utterances of Secretary of War Taft in the speech delivered at Greensboro. N. C.. by Mir. Taft Monday.
 Judge Parker declares that the Sec retary in his speech sought to have the public draw the inference that the recent prosecutions of alleged illegal combinations are due to new statutes. To this Judge Parker takes exception and to support his contention he quoted from his letter of acceptance and a speech subsequently, delivered during speech and the letters Judge Parker is quoted as saying that the laws then on the statute book were entirely ade- quate if enforced. Judge Parker in his statement says:
 'arhe inference that Secretary Taft would have the public draw from his utterances is that these things are due to new statutes; that the vindication which the law 1s now receiving is due to Congressional action since 1904. But that is not sc Not one of the success full prosecutions for which the existing administration is now entitled to credit is based on any new statutes. Every single one of them down to this date rests solely upon the law as it stood At' ASot anu IL SuOu1Q uOt De loSt klEuL Of by discriminating public that the law could have been enforced In 1904, 1903 and in 1902 just as well as today. Had it been, the wrongs from which the people have suffered would not have so multiplied" !"
 Interesting and Inaccurate.
 boro afs aays Js69se s69seea parer as Gress interesting throughout but it cannot be said that it was accurate throughout shall only refer to the position taken by me fin the campaign in 1904 in sub stance and effect that we have laws enough to stop every corporation abuse: that all that Is lacking is an adninis-s tration disposed to enforce the law.
 T said in the letter of acceptance un- der the title of Trust Remedies q pointed out in my earlier response the remedy which in my Judgment, can be effeetunalF employed against nonopo- lies and t<se assurance was given that if existing laws, including both statute and common law. proved contrary to my expectations. favor such further Iegisiation with constitutional iimita- tions as will best promote and safe guard the interests of all the people
 T emphasized the same thought on other occasions in public speeches. reiterated it in q speech on Jefferson's Day, 1905, in which said:
 "'The plain truth is that there has been no time during the past eight years. since the abuses alleged became fragrant, when they could not have been eliminated. Nothing has been 80 much needed as a rigid, honest, un- yielding enforcement of the law, both civil and criminal. But instead of go- ing on with the enforcement of the law against rebates by putting the rail road oflcials responsible for them be- u-f ka- rkrA Aai an . nvA other maleSsctors, their misconduct is made an excuse for further concentra-i tion of power&in the Federal govern ment.
 Tt is expected by the administra- tion and the railroad officials who openly consent to the movement as well as by those who are ostensibly opposed to it. that the people in their just Indignation at the wrongs done tc the many for the benefit of the few, will lose sight of the danger of so vast a capitalization of power until 1t is too late to check 1t. But we should rever forget that the safety of cur institutions Is involved in every such movement and instead of sub hitting to 1t, should insist that when A trust or a railroad, has violated the criminal law. the place TOT the guilty is in jail or in the penitentiary, not in the cabinet or in the board rooms of great railroads.
 Two Wrongs Not Right.
 we do not defend or excuse wrongs but we must insist upon the truth of the maxim that two wrongs do nos make a right
 Until after this last utterance no visible action has been taken by an administration that had been h power about four years, to check corporate and trust abuses by an appeal to the criminal courts. After that such steps were taken.
 The administration has now dis covered not only that there is enforce able laws against the giving of re- bates, and law adequate to check it legal combinations. but that the per sons engaged in it's violation can ba punished for, 1t.
 .'The inference that Secretary Taft would have the public draw from his utterance Is that these things are due 10 new statutes; that the vindication which the law is now receiving Is due to congressional action since 1904 Rnt that Is not so. Not one of the successful prosecutions for which the existing administration Is now entI- fled 10 credit Is based 0n any new statutes. There was some excuse for the efforts made by the partisans of the administration in the year 1904 to create the impression that nothing could be done without a new law for an admission of the fact would have satisfied the public that criticism lew elled against 1t was justified but there is no excuse at this time for the claim of Secretary Taft that my assertion in 1904 that existing law is adequate to put an end to all trust and corpor- ate abuses was inaccurate.
 ''The decisions of the United States Courts. both civil and criminal. during the past year are appealed to as de- .F a a 4a NHTh Secretary Taft or myself Is right"