Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1908-09-18
BRht's SPEECH
ON THE TRUSTS:
Delivered at indianapolis, Indiana,
August Is, 1908.
@E# REFORM IS NEEDED

Si 20 .ol. s ~'I
Nowhere does the republican party
show It's Indifference to real reform
more than In its treatment of the
trust question. Here is the republi-
Z can. platform:
/ THE republican party passed the
Sherman antitrust law over demo-
cratic opposition and enforced It af-
ter democratic dereliction. 1t has
been a Wholesome instrument for
good in the hands of a wise and
fearless administration. But expert
eence has shown that its effectiveness
can be strengthened and its real OBJ
sjects better attained by Such amend
'ments as will give to the federal gov
eminent greater supervision and
control over, and secure greater pub
hcity in, the management of that
class of corporations engaged in in
terstate commerce, having power and
opportunity to affect monOpolies.'
: The Sherman antitrust law was
passed eighteen years ago; it has
criminal clause which provides a
penitentiary punishment for those
who conspire together in restraint
of trade. Ever since the enactment
OF the law, with the exception OF
four years, the republican party has
controlled the executive department
Of the government and during two
years Of the four, it controlled the
house Of representatives. Instead
Of democratic dereliction, the demo.
cratic party has been urging, year at!
ter year, the strict enforcement Of
that law, and the republican party
has been explaining year after year
why 1t was impossible to enforce It.
Instead Of being wholesome in.
strument for good 1t has been al
most 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 republican par
y was Boosting Of its enforcement
q the law. The steel trust was form.
= ed Immediately after the election of
1900, and prominent republican said
~ a speech soon after, that it
might have prevented a republican
victory if it had been formed before
the election.
; Most of the trusts have never been
disturbed, and those that have been
prosecuted have not had their bust
ness seriously interrupted. The pres
ident has done something toward the
enforcement of the law, but not near
ly enough, and the republican leaders
nave thwarted him at every point. FL
nally the president became so exas-
operated that he sent to congress a
message which shocked republican
leaders by the fierceness of its de-
nunciation of the predatory inter-
ests. The very convention that
spoke in its platform of the admin.
istration as "a wise and fearless one
was composed largely of the senators
and members of congress who boldly
opposed every effort to free the peo-
pie from the clutches of the favor
seeking corporations.
The republican platform says that
experience has shown that the ef-
. fectiveness Of the antitrust law
could. be strengthened by amend
ments which will give the federal
government greater supervision and
control over and greater publicity as
TO, the management of those inter
state commerce corporations which
have the. power and opportunity to af.
feet monopolies. That is all. No point
Ing out Of remedies; no outlining of
plan for more effective legislation
simply a general statement that
promises nothing in particular. And
sMr. Tafts speech Of acceptance is
even weaker than the platform. He
gives no evidence Of having stud.
led the question or Of comprehending
the iniquities Of a monopoly. You
looE 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 manifest.
ed in his message Of last January.
II 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 exigenciesl
OF the campaign are passed? If when
Mr.. TAFT is appealing to The Roose,I
welt republicans, his discussion oil