Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1908-02-06

The administration and those who sup
port its views are not only not engaged
in an assault on property, but are siren
Under no circumstances would we
countenance attacks upon abiding
property, or do aught but condemn those
because of their riches. On the contrary,
our whole effort Is to insist upon con-
duct, and neither wealth nor property nor
any other class. distinction. as being the
proper standard by which to Judge the
actions of men. For the honest man of
great wealth we have a hearty regard,
honest politician and honest newspaper.
But part of the movement to uphold hon
esty must be a movement to, frown on
! dishonesty. We attack only the corrupt
| men of wealth. who find in the purchased
| politician the most efficient instrument Of
| corruption and in the purchased newspa-
! ruption. Our main quarrel is not with
| these agents and representatives of the
interests. They derive their chief power
stand behind them. They are but pup
pets who move as the strings are pulled
II Is not the puppets, but the strong cum
| for evil behind and through the puppets,
| with whom we have to deal We seek to
control law-defying wealth: In the first
| the republic, and In the next place to
avoid the vindictive and dreadful radi-
calism which. IL left uncontrolled. 1t is
| attacks upon all property, upon all men
OF means, without regard to whether they
do well or Ill. would sound the death
become inevitable II decent citizens per-
init those rich men whose lives are cor
rupt and evil to domineer in swollen
the destinies Of this country. We act in
no vindicuve spirit. and we are no re-
specters of persons. If a labor union
we oppose corporation which does
wrong; and we stand equally stoutly for
the rights of the man of wealth and for
the rights OF the wage-worker. We seek
to protect the property of every man who
acts honestly, of every corporation that
represents wealth honestly accumulated
wrongdoing. and we desire to punish the
wrong doors only so far as Is necessary
to achieve this end.
Campaign of Lawbreakers
Against Governments Policy
There are ample material rewards for
those who serve with fidelity the mann
mon of unrighteousness; but they are
dearly paid for by the people who per-
NIT their representatives. whether in pub
lie life, in the press, or in the colleges
preach and to practice that there is one
law for the rich and another for the poor
representatives
of certain great moneyed interests are
willing to spend can be gagged by their
recent publication broadcast throughout
the papers r Of this country from the At
ments attacking with envenomed bitter
ness the administrations policy of
warning against i successful ,, dishonesty;
books prepared with the same object;
while they likewise push the circulation
Of the writings and speeches of men who,
WI hat IRA
cause, seeing the light, they yet are will
ing to sin against the light, serve these
their masters of great wealth to the cost
pamphlets. the controlled newspapers, the
speeches by public or private men to
which | refer. are usually and especially
in the interest of the Standard Oil Trust
and of certain notorious railroad COM
binations, but they also defend other in
dividuals and corporations of great
wealth that have been guilty of wrong
doing. 1t is only rarely that the men re-
sponsible for the wrongdoing themselves
speak or write. Normally they hire 9TH
win do II without hire. From the rail-
road-rate law to the pure-food law, every
measure for honesty In business that has
been passed during the last six years has
been opposed by these men on it's pas
sage and in its administration with every
resource that bitter and interruptions
craft could suggest and the command of
almost unlimited money secure. But for
the last year the attack has been made
with most bitterness upon the actual ad-
throseh the department Of JUSTICE S but
also through the Interstate Commerce
Commission and the bureau OF corpora
assaults upon our policy contained in
these speeches, editorials, articles, ad-
vertisements, and pamphlets, and the
various 1 ways, give a. fairy accurate
measure of the anger and terror which
our public actions have caused the cor
rupt men of vast wealth to feel in the
very marrow of their being. The attack
Is sometimes made openly against us for
enforcing the law, and sometimes with
certain cunning, for not trying to en-
force ii in some other way than that
which experience shows to be practical.
One of the favorite methods of the lat
ministration. for not procuring the Inn
prisonment instead of the fine of Offend
ers under these antitrust laws. The man
making this assault is usually either ter a
his policy from the financiers and his
arguments from their attorneys. II the
former ea NE mas a a1d
we'll that, thanks to the advice Of lawyers
like himself, certain kind Of modern
G0Tp9Taton mas Dee nv bieb IN pe a II
well-nigh impossible to get at the head
of the corporation, at the man who is
really most mo- guilty; When we r are a tbis
is what we strive to do; this is what we
have actually done with some very
wealthy criminals, who, moreover, repre-
the alliance between the corruption OF
organized politics and the corruption of
high finance. This is what we have done
in the Gaynor and Greene case, in the
case OF the misappAcation Of funds in
connection with certain great banks In
Chicago. in the land-fraud cases, where,
highest political position nor the possess
sion Of great wealth, has availed to save
the offenders from prison. The federal
sinners fear; for it has put behind the
bars with impartial severity, the powerful
financier. the powerful politician. the rich
matter how high their station, against
whom criminal misdeeds can be proved.
All their wealth and power can not pro-
snort fns tht to- imprtson a given defendant is
certain to be futile, while 1t is possible
to fine him or to fine the corporation OF
he is so In t5s
by filming the corporation. unless we are
content to proceed personally against the
minor agents The corporation lawyers
the men mainly responsible for this
state of things. and their responsibility Is
shared with all who ingeniously. oppose
the passing of just and effective laws or
who fail to execute them when they have
been put on the statute books.
Much Is said. in these attacks upon
stockholders" That stockholder is
not innocent who voluntarily purchases
and management he knows to be cor
rupt; and stockholders are bound to.
| try to secure honest management, or
s siss the proeepedings V the souernmens
| finds necessary In order to compel the
corporation to obey the law. There has
| been IN the past grave wrong done in
l ~ at hnl hv QYAtfa fzo