The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-06-08

to have somewhat depressed the at
torney general himself. for he admits
that in none of the eases pending are
there any new points involved, and
that in all Of them the question turns
mainly upon facts lelating to the anti
trust and interstate commerce laws.
He applauds the Elkins law which he
says strengthened the hands of the
government in dealing With the dis
criminatoFy pr,sctices of railroads.
This law was written by Senator Fora
ker Of Ohio.
Unhappily thus Gar under either the
isissnlS act. or any other act. the rem.
edy which Attorney General Bona
parte suggests as essential and which
men must recognize as being the only
one TO correct the evils complained
of, has been applied iD only two trivial
cases. I. y,ar ago in in United States
district I.Jurt of Missouri two men ut
terIy unknown to the general public.
whose names Il would not be worth
while to mention here as they we're OBJ
viously only carrying out the orders
OF their supcrious and need not be
subjected TO iguominy. were sentenced
W IriA iOA oiA AnOltnc anu lttiE0
months respectively. Neither has
gone to Jail for both cases are pending
on an appeal.
Some Who Might BE Sentenced.
II Mr. y. II. Hartman perhaps the
most colossal monoDolizer of rail-
roads, or Mr.. Thomas r. Ryan. or
ganizcr Of the Tobacco Trust. against
which the attorney general says a suit
Is now pending, or MIR. Dupont at the
head of the Powder trust. which is
also now in court though It is selling
most of its powder TO the United
States government. or Mr.. Baer, he OF
the Divine Right" might be put IA a
cell it might help TO give more force
to tho attorney generals opinion But
what he boasts OF Is only the still up
enforced sentences of two incon-
spicuous traffic agents In Missouri.
Meanwhile Mr.. Dupont has become a
member of the United States senate,
and Mr.. Ryan is generally reported to
be candidate for that distinguished
office.
Topics of Current Talk.
Lincoln. Neb., has recently adopted
the initiative and referendum for mu-
nicipal purposes. The election was
held under a state law passed ten
years ago II was won by the advo-
Gates of direct legislation by vote
of 2754 for. to 675 against. Like most
towns in which presidential candi-
date lives, Lincoln never gave its ma.
iority vote to Bryan. Yet It seems to
approve his views.
Under the new rate law President
Roosevelt has Joined the great army
OF public officials and politicians for
whom free transportation over the
railroads Is no longer the rule. His
Western trip, lasting four days, was
not made in the os way by special
train furnished free by the companies
He did not even travel on a special
schedule arranged for his convent
ence. New York World.
But congress gave him $4,000 n
year for travelling expenses thus virtu-
ally raising the presidential salary to
/ $4,000, and saving the railroads some
thousands annually What an anti-rail.
road congress Il was.
Is the day of legislative government
passing and that of purely executive
government coming in the United
Sta.es2 The great New York news
papers are daily shouting the praises
of Governor Hughes for his domina-
tion of the legislature. while the glor-
les OF the big stick" and the dociity
OF congress are subjects OF daily dis.
cussion. Why elect congressman or
legislatures? What Is the use OF
courts? And after ali why bother
about forty-iive governors when all
can be handled so much more wisely
from the White House?