The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-01-19


Senator Plat wrote a letter TO Gov
ernor Roosevelt. He reminded the
governor that there had been no at
tempt made to dictate to him. But It
was only fair that the business in
terests of the community should be
thoughtfully considered. The senator
declared that he could scarcely credit
the report, indeed he absolutely re-
fused to credit it, that the governor
was showing signs of becoming al
truistic." Mr.. Roosevelt's sense OF
humor was stirred by the use OF the
word altruistic as term of repro ach.
The politician who brought this re-
markable Plat letter to Mr.. Roosevelt
told him, as an additional reason why
he should not press the franchise tax
bill, that certain great corporate in
terests not affiliated with the Repnbll-
can party had contributed 100000 to
his campaign fund.
Mr.. Roosevelt replied that he had
been assured that these particular IN
terests had paid 100000 into the
campaign treasury of his opponent,
Mr.. Van Wyck. The politician adj
mitted that that was probably true,
but that if such measures as the fran
chise tax bill were pressed too far,
these interests would, in the future,
confine their large contributions to
the Democratic party.
That settled it. The governor saw
at once that he was dealing with a
question that transcribed all party
lines, and was face to face with
power that was asserting itself ag ainst
people and & sernment alike. He
struck again aud again, and did not
cease until the franchise tax was a
fact, and not theory.
When the death of Mr.. Mckinley
made Mr.. Roosevelt president of the
United States, he at first refused to
take any step that might lead to a
CONFUSION. He had stood by the body
of his murdered predecessor, and
pledged himself to carry out the Nc
Kinley policies unbroken. But he had
just before sworn to uphold the con-
stitution and laws of the United States,
and no man who saw him at that
moment, as I did, could doubt which
of the two pledges, should they con-
fict, was to be most binding on his
conscience.
In order that there should be no
doubt about his position, and to give
fair warning of what might be ex-
pected of him, Mr.. Roosevelt made a
number of speeches in 1902. To make
sure that no one should suspect that
he was talking for mere political effect,
he avoided the radical constituencies
of the west and uttered his most sig
| niicant ideas to conservative New
| England audiences.
In Hartford, Connecticut, he said:
There is clearly need of supervision
need to possess the power of regula-
| ton on the part of representatives of
the public, wherever, as in our own
country at the present time, business
corporations become so very strong,
both for benefit work and for work
that Is not always benefcent. =. Some
governmental sovereign must be given
full power over these artificial and
very powerful beings. In my judgment
this sovereign must be the national
government. When it has been given
full power, then this full power can
be used to control any evil influence,
exactly as the government is now
using the power conferred upon it
under the Sherman antitrust law.''
In Boston he again sounded clear
note of warning:
81 do not believe that you can get
any action by the state, [ do not be-
lieve it practicable to get action by
all the states, that will give US salts
factory control of the trusts, of big
corporations. Now want to make
real and not a nominal sovereign,
to have some one sovereign to which
the corporation shall be really and
not nominally responsible. What
I hope to see is power given to the
national legislature which shall make
the control real.'
The governors of six northwestern
states appealed to the president for re-
lief from the Northern Securities rail-
road merger which destroyed compe-
tition between the Great Northern and
Northern Pacific lines. The president
referred the matter to Attorney Gen
eral Knox, with instructions to deal
with the case without fear or favor.
The encouragement reported that the
merger was a clear violation of ma
tional law. He was ordered to bring
suit at once.
Down went ]. Pierpont Morgan to
the White House, wrathful, but wary
OF the presidents temper.
It's all a mistake, Mr.. President, =
he said with wave of his hand. 1.-THE
whole thing is simply misunder-
standing. We can easily compromise
the matter. Let US get together and
there will be no difficulty about sat
isfactory compromise. !"
Mr.. Roosevelt barred his teeth.
II IN afraid that you do not UNDER
stand nv viaWnninf Mr. Mnruar IS he