Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-09-28

copy OF your letter, and while | have
respect for The Outlook, and | sup
pose | have for the writer (although
you DO not give his name), | would
| hardly feel justified in deciding as
promptly as you do on an exparte
statement without investigation.
You present an indictment against
ourN platform declarations on the
trust question. but you do not refer
to all Of the planks. and do not deal
Justly with those to which you do
refer. Our platform declares in ia
vor OF vigorous enforcement of
the criminal law against guilty
trust magnates and officials" Your
platform does not contain any such
demand. VIII you say that your
platform is better than ours in that
respect2 Our platform demands
that corporations beyond certain
size be compelled to sell at the
same price in all parts OF the coun-
try, due allowance being made for
the cost OF transportation. Will
YOU deny that this is in the inter-
est Of the consumer and in the in
terest OF the smaller competitors?
We represent n plan under which
no corporation will be permitted to
control more than one half OF the
total product. 1t has been stated
that the steel company with your
Express consent, purchased one OF
its largest rivals and thus obtained
control OF more than so per cent
- the total output. VIII you in
s.st that in permitting this you
showed less favor to the monopolis-
&c corporations than / do in op-
posing it2 You quote at length
from n speech made by Governor
Hughes in which he rldicules one OF
our antitrust remedies. Is this
the same Governor Hughes who was
counted as one OF the "allies" who
endeavored to defeat Mr.. Taft when.
rs you insisted, Mr.. Taft represent
ed the "reformers" Of your party
and his opponent the reactionary
clement? Did not Governor Hughes
nave the support of the New York
delegation in the convention, and is
not New York City the home of
many of the Republicans most con-
spicuous in their connection with
The law-defying corporations? You
are certainly aware of the fact that
N the statement filed by George r.
Sheldon, then treasurer of the Re-
publican state committee, two years
ago. after Mr.. Hughes election it
appears that the following contri-
buttons were made to the campaign
fund:
j. p Morgan. $4,000; John d.
Rockefeller, $1,000; A. Carnegie,
$4,000; John w. Gates, $4,000; E.
w. Corey, $4,000; w. Nelson Crom-
we'll, $1,000; w. F. Havemeyer,
$500; B. NJ. Duke, $500. Several
Of these men are known to be Off
cially connected with the trusts.
Would the fact that these gen.
!emen contributed to his cam
paign fund strengthen or weaken
his testimony against the reasona-
bleness OF our antitrust remedy?
You cannot have failed to notice
nat Governor Hughes, in his speech
assumed the role OF the critic, ane
not that of the constructive states
man. Any one possessing a vivid
imagination and a pen can find OBJ
jections to remedial measures. Lord
lacauley Is quoted as saying that
eloquent and learned men could be
ound to dispute the law OF CRAWL
tation II there were any advantage
20 be gained by it. But when
known abuses" are to be cured
ounce OF remedy il worth a
.ound OF fault-fndng.
AS you quote from Governor
Hughes, / take 1t for granted that
Mr.. Taft has not yet expressed him
self in a satisfactory manner on the
subject, for you Would naturally
prefer 10 quote from the presiden-
tial candidate whenever possible.
You say: Let us repeat that no
aw-defy!ng corporation has any
other ~eason to fear from you save
what it will suffer in tn general
paralysis OF business" etc.
Referring to the last part Of The
sentence. first l might question your
ability to act as an expert as to
panic preveptat.ves, since YOU now
have one on your hands, but as TO
your charge that no law-defyng
corporation has reason to fear the
lirect effect OF the antitrust rem
adies which ] favor, permit me 10
suggest that your testimony on this
uDject is not conclusive. You are
70 witness, TO be sure, but your in
,arest in the result Of the election
must be taken into consideration
.a Weighing your testimony. There
8 better evidence. The trust mag
mates know 5hcir own interests. and
.ncy are supporting JUDGE Taft. Not
one Of the trust magnates helped 10
secure my nomination while It is
n matter o. common nUforiety"
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