The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-10-12
RYAN DECLARES
steel TRUST IS
1 BACK OF TAFT
1osNrs TO FACT CARNEGIE GAVE
vwIcE As MUCH As ANY DEMO,
caAT WOULD HAVE BEEN Al.
LOWED TO.

NOBERLY. Mo-, Oct. 12.--Wm. J,
tDryan, IN a speech here. declared that
|<he steel trust Is supporting Mr.. Tart,
"a said that Andrew Carnegie. one Oh
~ largest bondholders. had contrib
I'D twice as much to Mr.. Taft's FUND
[re any man was allowed to give TO
- Democratic fund.
The CASE cited by Mr.. Bryan was
1ne he said was brought to his atten-
Nm while he was passing through
met, III, by A. j. Heath. president
q the Joliet Bale Tie Co. Mr.. Heath
charred that his company had been
E3feated by the American Steel Wire
800. one of the largest constituent
|ronnpapies OF the steel trust. to a sam
- OF Standard Oil methods In an Ell
IA TO drive him out OF business. This
nnpany. he asserted. had sold nm
'1nvsd wire product In his territory
E6hsAper than the plain wire In the coll
ould be bought.
Writes for Justice.
Tn1nking this was typical case for
~ antitrust law. he wrote to the de-
raxtmsnt of Justice at Washington and
nnir1ng II the American Steel & Wire
<|bo. could not be prosecuted. He re-
znrlvod q reply from J. X. Richards.
nf1ng attorney-general. declining to do
nythins In the case on the ground
1T the action complained OF was not
~ Violation Of the antitrust law.
richards reply. was turned over 70
S1rr. Bryan. and the latter read II In
~ speech. The letter Ia as follows:
Department OF Justice,
washington, ID. c., Feb. IL. 1903.
Z. a Heath. ESQ. President Joliet
Bale. Tte Co, Joliet. III.
VI Dear Sir:--I am in receipt or your
ssssS Is s q a.. sss A nss w ssssl SS
4 wire Company. and In reply peg
q to say that the specific act GO wnsch
" you refer. the seIins Oh tn ,hay
n charwe for wire In the coil. which
Il has resulted. 30 injuriously to your
hosi1ess. e not lot, rss s,,r, nab under
That fact may or may not De
evidence for an attempt TO monopo-
liss or restrain Interstate or foreign
law applies, and. the latter fact
must De established before the
former will be declared illegal: The
81 itself justify any action by this
Assortment nefAaees- the Federal -
law AFFORD you any remedy for the
n loss you have sustained
j. X. RICHARDS.
Acting Attorney General.
Here IL q specific illustration OF the
'1niouity of the trusts" Mr.. Bryan
aid. This company is shown to have
<ould its finished product for less than
q charged for wire in the coil. yet the
3 ottorney-general accepting the fact as
true. and accepting as true that this
ret has resulted injuriously to a busi-
&oss rival. declares that the company
<nneaged In this destructive compeu
( HON ID not restrained under the federal
<1ntttrust law"
Administration Construction.
This. he said. was the construction
W the law by the present administra.
ton. and this construction was the
lore cruel because Mr.. Taft had de-
0larod emphaticaily against any
/0mendment OF the law such as pro-
rcuod BIZ the Democratic platform.
what reason can a trust give for
oo111ng its product at a price lower
HAN the cost of raw material? II
|tonn0t do this everywhere without
\ Hnnlruptcy. Why does the trust sell
<>olow cost In some places while II
/. &horges exorbitant prices In other
Z G1neoo? Simply 10 drive out compe'
@1k1ou % that 1t may have consumers
ne it, mercy,
The American Steel and Wire Co.
< - 3 part Of the steel trust. and the
utool trust II supporting the Republi.
I'm ticket Why shouldn't lit The
l1oDerD announce this morning that
( ~. Carnegie, who holds large block
~ TIE bonds Of the steel trust. IL the
Z nrwest contributor to the Republican
oompaign fund. having given twice a.
much % any man IL allowed TO give
~ Ne Democratic campaign fund. and
w0ny times a much AZ any man has
3vgn to our fund"
Roossvsit Favors steel Trust.
NJ II. Bryan some time ago charged
Nat President Roosevelt had shown
/. 1ovoritism to the steel trust. and call.
"a u attention to the fact that last fall
~ had permitted II 10 acquire the
Tunnessee Coal q Iron company. its
nFgUst rival.
e.