The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-08-26

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shown that its effectiveness can
be strengthened and its real OBJ
jects better attained by such
amendments as VIII give 10 the
federal government greater SUI
peryisioB and control over, and
securA gYea'ter nublicity The
management or tIat Cidss or COT
porations engaged In interstate
commerce. having power and OPP
portunity to aRec4 monopolies.
The sherman antitrust law was
passed. rs yFHTs ago. IT mas GRIM
inal clause which provides peniten
tlary punishment for those who con
spire together in restraint OF trade
Ever since the enactment of the law.
with the exception Of four years. the
Republican party has controlled tLe
executive department OF the gov
eminent. and. during two years OF
the four. 1t controlled the house oil
representatives. instead OF Demo
cratic dereictlon. the Democratic
party has been urging. year after
year. the strict enforcement OF mat
law. and the Republican party mas
been explaining year after year why
IL was impossible to entore II. In
stead of being 4 wholesome instru-
ment for good, ii has been almost
useless, so far as the protection OF
I the public IS concerned, for tine trusts
have grown in number, In strength
and in arrogance. at the very time
when the Republican party was boast
ing of its enforcement OF the law.
The steel trust was formed irnme-
-after-the- election of 1900 and
a prominent Republican said, in
-;....ssZss,ss.T=s
prevented Republican victory u u
had been formed before the election.
Most OF the trusts have never been
disturbed, and those that have been
prosecuted have not had their nusi-
ness seriously interrupted. Inc pres
ident has done something toward the
enforcement or Utg law, but not near
/ IS enough and the Republican lead
ers have thwarted him at every point.
Finally the president became so eX'
asperated that he sent to congress
message which shocked Repuohcah
lenders by the herceness OF its denun.
citation OF the predatory interests. ne
very convention that spoke in its plat
form of the administration as a wise
and fearless one. was composed large
~ OF lit ntndiOlN btth AiN my -
l4e.t4s4er.- t,t4ll4lp -e.ppeaeG- eTeI-I at
fort 10 free the people from the
clutches of the favor-seeking corpora
tons
No Remedies Outlined.
The Republican platform says mat
experience has shown that the etfec-
tiyeness OF the antitrust law could
be sTrengTnened by amendments
which will give the federal govern.
ment greater supervision and control
over, and greater publicity as TO. the
management of those interstate com
nserce corporations which nave the
power and opportunity 10 AFFECT mon
opoies That Is all, No pointing out
OF remedies: no outlining OF pan
for more effective legisiatioil--slhpl
general statement that promises
nothing in particular. Ant MIR taft
speech OF acceptance is even weaker
than the platform. He gives no eNl
dence OF having studied the question
or OF compromising the inquiries OF
"a monopoly. You look in vain In MS
notification speech for any sign or III
dignation at what the trusts have been
doing or fer evidence Of zeal -lhslr
prosecution He has. for several
years. been the Intimate Official COM
panion OF the president, but he mas
caught none of the fire which me
president manifested In his message
Of last January
"If. in the presence OF an aroused
people, and In the heat OF a cam
paign. the Republican party contents
itself with colorless platform on
this subject. what can we expect In
the way OF activity when the exiSen-
cies Of the campaign are passed. H.
wren Mr. Taft Is appealing 10 the
Roosevelt Republicans. his discussion
of the subject Is so liteless ana MS
manner so apologize and alathetic'
what reason have we 10 exprcl 'lthcr
vllor IN the enforcement OF the law
or earnestness in the search Tor addl-
tional remedies
in his speech delivered about
wear ago announcing his candidacy.
Alr- Lift suggested That Tie present
lqw be so amended as 70 hermit 'rea-
gOnable' restraint II trade. Such an
amendment would be as absurd az an
amendment 20 the law against bur
glarv limiting the law TO cases In
which more than two burglars enter
ga the house al one time or took more
than half they found. In MS notlnca
lion speech he suggests national in.
corporation remedy which would
make conditions worse because, with
out\ adding 10 The power of congress
So prevent monopolles. ID would de-
prive the states of the power 70 pro
-trr-t-t---rfr J--'r Trt-t,i>ft'T
The Democratic Plank.
>Ssr1vv--fr7r- C0nvTHst ttTu DCT1r-
cratic platform with the Republican
platform Nowhere is the difference
I'm the method Of dealing with Ques
tons more manifest Our platform
says:
4 private monopoly is indsten'~
siblc and intolcrablc We there
fore favor the vigorous enforce
ment of the criminas law against
guilty trust magrlatcs and OH eials.
and demand The enactment of
such additional legislation as may
be- noL-l1ss..- -..s-trs-------s rt--trtT-t's