The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-01-09
ROOSEVELT AND THE TRUST.

ROOSEVELT AND THE TRUST.
During the campaign the charge was
repeatedly made, and not denied, that
the president had been consulted by
the steel trust before it acquired the
Tennessee Coal & Iron company. and
that he acquiesced in the deal. In the
recent controversy between the execu-
tive and the senate the president gave
the details Of his agreement with
Judge Gary, who had consulted him
before the transaction was oonsum-
mated. In effect, he said he had sim
ply expressed the belief that the pur-
chase would be a good thing because,
as he was assured. it would help stay
the panic which was then sweeping the
country. That is to say, he silently
promised there would be no proceed
irgs against the trust if it absorbed its
most important and only conspicuous
competitor.
The significance Of this episode lies
In the fact that other trusts have been
and are being prosecuted for just such
suppression of competition by pur-
chase. notably the tobacco trust, which
has been convicted under the antitrust
law. IN other words. the president as
sumed the sole responsibility for a viz
tuaI promise of immunity to one cor
pOration, while others in the same re-
lation to the law are being prosecuted.
As chief executive he has taken upon
himself the abrogation of the law in
defiance of his obligation to enforce
that law without discrimination.
1t was in relation to this matter that
the senate asked the attorney general
to report his reasons for not prosecut-
ing the steel trust: and if was in re-
Spouse to this inquiry that Roosevelt
told the senate it had no right TO ask
such questions of a cabinet member.
Now the senate has adopted resolu-
ton calling upon the senate committee
on judiciary to report whether the
president was authorized to permit
the absorption OF the Tennessee COM
pany. The vote was extraordinary in
that it passed largely by the aid of Re
publican votes, and in spite of objee-
ton by administration syeophants.
There is something amazing. not to
say incomprehensible, about the presi-
dents action. He has been most vio-
lent in his denunciation of such at
tempts at restraint of trade; he has re-
peatedly attacked the men who are di-
.rectiy responsible for trusts and mo-
nopolies: he is sworn to enforce the
law without any exception; he has no
right or power to interpret the statutes
To suit exigeneies, and yet he calmly
declares that ne was advised in adj
vance of this transaction and made no
objection, but, on the contrary,
acquiesced in It, No president of the
republic before has ever dared assume
such q responsibility. and it can be ex-
plained on no rational grounds what
ever.
1t is quite possible. as Roosevelt says.
that the absorption helped stay the
panic. but that is no excuse. The steel
trust had the owners OF the Tennessee
company at their mercy; they had
never before deemed it advisable to at
tempt such bold move. and they
seized upon the helplessness- Of their
competitors and the need of the nation
TO accomplish what. in the eyes Of the
law. is a violation of the spirit and in
tent of the antitrust statute. The
government Of the United states. in
the person Of its president. agreed that
this country. with all its power, ali its
supposed ability TO restrain great
criminal interests. was helpless The
president accepted. apparently with
thankfulness. a proposal to ignore the
statute in order that the panic he had
precipitated should be relieved at the
hands of a corporation which. next to
the Standard Oil. stands for all that is
obnoxious in monopoly.
Common charity and respect for the
Office he occupies moves Us to hope
that some better explanation than the
one offered may be forthcoming. Other
wise the conclusion is inevitable that
the president of the United States was
willing to sacrifice his high calling and
prostitute the power he holds in return
for political aid already rendered and
30 be further extended in the last cam
paign.