The weekly herald. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 1906-19??, 1908-09-03
REPUBLICAN RULE
TRUST PROSPERITY
Trusts Have Grown In Number, Strength and Ar
vgaNCs, Says Bryan In His Indian.
ODOIis Speech Today

penitentlary punishment for those
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the law. with the exception OF four
years, the Republican party has con-
trolled the executive department OF
the government, and, during two
years OF the four, II controlled the
house OF representatives. Instead
OF Democratic derelictlon. the DEM
ocratic party has been urging, year
after year, the strict enforcement OF
that law. and the Republican party
has been explaining year after year
why II was impossible to enforce It..
Instead OF being wholesome In
strument for good" has been almost
useless, so far as the protection Of
the public Is concerned, for the
trusts have grown in number, in
strength, and In arrogance, at the
very time when the II ubllcan par
~ was boastlng OF 80 enforcement
OF the law. The steel trust was
formed Immediately after the cleo
ton OF 1900, and a prominent Re
publican said, In a speech soon after,
that II might have prevented a Re-
publican victory II II had been form
cd before the election
Most OF the trusts have neyer been
disturbed, and those that have been
prosecuted have not had their busi-
ness seriously interrupted. The Pres
dent has done something toward the
enforcement of the law, but not near
ly enough, and the Republican lead
ers have thwarted him at every
point. Finally the President became
so exasperated that he sent to con.
gress message which shocked the
Republican leaders by the fierceness
OF It's denunciation OF the predatory
interests. The very convention that
spoke in It's platform OF the admin
isrratIon as "a wise and fearless one"
was composed largely OF the sena-
tors and members OF congress who
bodily opposed overy EFFORT to free
the people from the clutches OF the
tavor-seeking corporations.
The Republican platform says that
experience has shown that the effec-
tiveness OF the antitrust law could
be strengthened by amendments
which will give the federal govern
ment greater supervision and control
over. and greater publicity as to. the
management OF those Interstate
commerce corporations which have
the power and opportunity to affect
monopolles. That Is all. No point
ing out OF remedies; no outlining OF
n plan for more effective legisla-
tion---simply a general statement
that promises nothing in particular.
And Mr.. Taft's speech OF acceptance
is even weaker than the platform.
He gives no evidence OF having stud
led the question or OF comprehend
ing the iniquities of a monopoly. You
look In vain in his notification speech
for any sign of indignation at what
the trusts have been doing or for ev-
idence OF zeal in their prosecution.
He has. for several years, been the
intimate official companion OF the
President, but he has caught none Of
the fire which the President mani
tested In his message OF last jan
uary.
II, In the presence OF an aroused
people, and In the heat OF a cam
palgn, the Republican party contents
itself with a colorless platform on
this subject, what can we expect In
the way OF activity when the exlgen-
cles OF the campaign are passed? II,
when Mr.. Taft is appealing to the
Roosevelt Republicans, his discussion
OF the subject is so lifeless and his
manner so apologize and apathetic,
what reason have we TO expect either
ylgor in the enforcement of the law
or earnestness in the search for adj
ditlonal remedies?
In his speech delivered about a
year ago announcing his candidacy,
Mr.. Taft suggested that the present
law be so amended as to permit "rea-
sonable" restraint OF trade. Such an
amendment would be as absurd as
an amendment TO the law against
burglary limiting the law to cases
In which more than two burglars en-
tered the house at one time or took
more than half they found. In his
notification speech he suggests ma
tional Incorporation remedy
which would make conditions worse
because, without adding TO the pow,
er OF congress to prevent monopolies,
It would deprive the states of the