The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-22
CAUSTlC HITS
AT POLICY OF
ROOSEVELT
Maximum Of Noise and
Minimum Of Good" Says
Congressman Mccall.

MARsHFIELD, Mass. Aug. 22,-Con-
gresham Samuel w. Mccall, who has
| opposed several of the policies of Presi-
dent Roosevelt in the House of Repre-
sentatives, was the principal speaker
at the Marshfield fair today. His criti.
cism today Of the Rooseveltian policies
was severe. He said in part:
| One Of the United States judges has
| lust imposed n fine of such proportions
that 1t allies itself with the tribute which
a victorious nation imposes upon van
uulshed one. fine that probably Is nor
greatly exceeded by the aggregate OF all
other fines imposed by our Federal courts
since the establishment of the government.
The olfense was the receiving OF dis
eliminating rate from railroad COM
pany Whether the fine was right or
wrong or whether an ordinary shipper
would have been even subjected to prose-
cution upon the exact facts OF tnls case
I shall not argue. AS Mr.. Bonaparte Is
not engaged in sinking the constitution
this year. but announces that he Is after
game" he might be willing to take what
ever came. But allude to the matter sim
ply for. the purpose OF .,1,n e9iiing your at
Three years ago Congress was asked 70
confer upon an executive department the
power to fix railroad rates, as remedy
for railroad discrimination. At that time
there reposed upon the statute books the
very act against rebates and discrimination
under which this thirty-million- dollar fine
has been imposed, statute SO sweeping
that IL not merely prohibits beyond ques-
tion the giving or the accepting OF dis
crimnatory rate. but which, the law OH
GERS of the government now contend, SUD
jeets a shipper to heavy penai.y, even even
where he accepts rate In absolute good
faith and with no reason TO believe ne is
getting an illegal rate.
The question suggests Itself, Why were
not old laws enforced rather than new ones
demanded? The practise in government OF
expending the maximum amount or noise
and disturbance to secure the minimum oI
good may be divertlng, but 1t Is costly. II
obliterated n great foreign trade In packed
meats In order TO get Legislation whicn
every packer wanted. As to the Improve
ments in meat. they are mainly seen in the
imaRinations of some sociologists and in
tbe consequent silence of those gentlemen.
And then. too we have with MS the noble
army of well-paid Federal inspectors.
This procedure has been followed IN
securing the railroad legislation. ] do not
refer 10 the EllSins statute which is doing
business today. but | refer TO this rate Dill
/ believe that the ,populistic agli,atuion ltio
which resulted. has financially and indus
trially done serious injury to the country
Railroad building has been enectvely
stopped If similar public sentiment had
been aroused sixty years ago many of our
great commonWealths would today be un-
settled areas, still under the domain of the
buffalo and the Wolt
The effect of the rate bill will be to aug
ment the executive power beyond all
rational limits.
The tendency OF the times appears to be
first to centralize all power at Washington
and then to have 1t all exercised by one
man But | say let the people keep, to be
exercised under their very eyes, all the
governmental powers not necessary to ma
tional unity and safety and let them ad-
here to representative government. II you
hove Government by representatives
chosen with reasonable fidelity You will
have a government by the people. The ex-
treme views OF one represen tatiVe In one
direction win be Offset by the extreme
views of another in another direction and
the result will be a safe and rounded
government But If your government Is
imaged in one man there will be grave
danger, It viii reflect all the extreme
qualities Of the man.
You are liable some day to have presi-
dent supremely lacking In the qualities of
a statesman one who Is egotste, i'm
pulsive, of immature judgment, a mere
glutton of the limelight, ready to barter
awav prosperity and even his country 5
freedom for momentary applause.
II he is an autocrat. such rs he is, such
for the time will your country be. In
stead OF mighty nation, great in her
physical strength and greater in her moral
qualities you may have struttiug, con-
fiscating, shrieking. medding America
God save us from such a day.