The Washington herald., 1907-10-16
SCORES PRESIDENTS CRITICS
Wall Street Partly Debased and De
bauched, Says W. ]. Gaynor.
Government Should BE Supported in
EradicatinE Rebate Evii-wuI
Push All Necessary Measures.

Norfolk. Va, Oct 15-To-day was cele-
brated as Brooklyn Day at the James
town Exposition. Perfect weather greet
ed the visitors. The party Of three-score
prominent Brooklyn people who. in con-
nection with their journey to the Expo
sition for to-day's celebration. are making
tour through the Virginias, visiting
leading points Of historic interest in the
two States, left their special train at
Old Point Comfort early, this morning,
proceeding by steamer 10 the Exposition
grounds. The party proceeded at once 10
the New York State Building, where
they were received by the hostess. Mrs.
Henry, wife Of Adjutant General Henry.
of New York
The exercises Of the day occurred in
the early forenoon in the drawing-room
Of the New York Building. The grafton
was by Justice William j. Gaynor. He
said, In part:
In my part of the country. which is
under the caves Of Wall street. and part
" debased and debauched by the gam
bling Of that place, there are many-some
wickedly and falsely, and some stupidity.
as mere parrots-denouncing President
Roosevelt for bending the energies Of the
government to stop this great evil. They
call his course a general attack on cor
porations and on business. Yes. this ef-
fort to make the railroad companies obey
the law, and charge the same rate to
every one is called an attack on cor
to see some stockholders join in this false
cry Cannot even the stupidest stock
holder see that II the rebates being given
TO favorlte shippers. and by them divided
UP with railroad magnates and officials,
We're paid into the treasures Of the rail-
roads the amount thus received would be
declared out in dividends, and that divi-
dends would thereby be largely In
creased? It used to be a saying that d
fool was born every minute. and l fear
it holds good yet
Every one should support the PTesi-
dent and the government in eradicating
this great evil. And we must see TO IL
that a successor to President Roosevelt
is elected who will continue the work
with his unabated energy and purpose
do not think, however. that the evil can
ever be eradicated by mere government
prosecutions. An ounce of executive pre-
vention would be worth more than a
pound Of judicial cure.
Bismarck found in Germany that the
government could not stop the evil while
the roads remained in private hands.
That great man, therefore. had the gov
ernment take all the railroads in Ger
many. For my part, I would not like TO
see tnat done here. Private enterprise is
too valuable TO be eliminated from rail-
road operation and development 1 would
suggest that the government appoint the
general freight agent of every railroad.
He would not fix the rates. They would
be fixed by the companies, as now; but
he would see that there was no favorlt-
ism, that every one paid the same rate
no more and no less; he would instantly
remove any local agent who gave any
favoritism, and also have him indicted
and convicted.
This would summarily stop favoritism
In freight rates. This participation Of the
government in the management OF the
roads would be better than for the gov
ernment 10 take them. But this one
thing you may depend on-namely, the
people OF this country have made up their
minds that they will not permit this
crime OF favoritism in freight rates to
continue any longer, and they will stop
stop it. If in the last pass they cannot
stop 1t except by taking the railroads,
then they will take them"