The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-10-10
An Unaeoeptad ChaIlanno.

~ hiFs brYanH complaint that the
federal authorities have not prosecuted
the United States Steel corporation
Attorney General Bonaparto has made
q reply which clearly entities the Ne.
braska agitator to the protection Of
the Society For the Prevention of
Cruelty to Children. Mr. Bonaparte
says:
= have no information, oficIal or
personal that Mr.. Bryan has violated
any federal statute. Therefore tha
department has not prosecuted him.
have no information, oficial or per
gonai, that tho steel trust has violated
any federal statute. Therefore the
department has not prosecuted II. III
Mr. Bryan viii give me such informa-
ton about the steel trust the steel
trust win be prosecuted, and Il the
steel trust win give me such informa-
tion about Mr.. Bryan Mr.. Bryan win
be prosecuted. But Ii either case /
shall want specific charges, sustained
BY legal evidence and verified BY an
impartial Inquiry, not loose talk, EN-
belliahed by oratorical fireworks and
evolved from the inner consciousness
Of an eager and perennial candidate
for ONCE"
Mr.. Bonaparte's attitude Is old fash.
ioned-Fidicuously old fashioned from
tho Bryan viewpoint. He holds to the
principle that neither an individual nor
a corporation should be condemned
without trial. that there should be no
trial except upon formal complaint and
that no complaint should be considered
unless backed up with competent evi-
dence worthy Of judicial investigation.
That ID the Bonaparte attitude and the
Republican attitude.
Mr.. Bryan's attitude is radically dif.
ferent. He would crush the interstate
corporations and try them afterward.
He regards their very existence as
proof that they are Iawbreakers. He
would indlct them on hearsay tesHmo-
ny, place them on trial In the absence
OF d formal complaint and convict
them In obedience to popular clamor,
Irrespective Of their guilt or innocence
as determined by established rules Of
evidence.
The Republican contention ID that
corporations, being the creatures Of
law, can be effectively controlled and
regulated by law and that they should
not be penalized except BY due legal
process The Bryan policy Is that the
only way to reform them Is to destroy
them. that they are in the very nature
Of things enemies to the common good
and that their prosperity may Justly
be connscated without process Of law.
Bryanism aims at the destruction Of
property rights invested in corporate
organizations. RepublIcanism insists
that those rights, as defined by law,
shall be preserved
Attorney General Bonaparte's chal-
Ienge WIN not DO accepted. Mr.. Bryan
Ia dealing In theories, not in facts, this
year and has no time to devote to such
trl6ing things as law and evidence.
He knows in his heart that II be had
a prima facle case against the steel
and the moral courage to
submit II to the department Of justice |
at Washington the machinery Of the |
law would be instantly set IN motion |
to prosecute his complaint On the
other hand, he is Just as wen aware
that even though he were o thousand
times accused, anonymously or unotf
ciaIiy, Of violating the federal stat
utes the attorney general could not
proceed against him except on form
al, sworn complaint, supported BY
competent legal evidence.
Mr.. Bryan is at liberty to swing
himself on either horn of the dilemma.
HIS puerlle whine that the government
hns not prosecuted the steel corpora
lion Is due either to shameless hypoc-
risy or shameful ignorance Of the first
principles Of law.