The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-12
SAYS W|CKERSHAM
BETRAYED PUBLIC
Senator LaFollette Scathingly
Denounces Attorney Cen
eral and President Taft
HOLDS RAILROAD BILL
ACT OF HIGHBlNDERS
Declares Measure Bold Raid on
Public Rights-Charges Cab
met Officer with Trying to
Intimidage Party.

WASHINGTON. u. c.. April ia
In a scorching denunciation of the
TAFT administration. charging bud
faith in the preparation of the presi-
dents railroad bill and accusing Az
torney General Wickersham OF be-
traying the public interests In eban-
doning Federal prosecution of a great
railroad merger In New England.
Senator La gillette paid his respects
to the Taft Eikins btu in the Senate
to-day.
TINS bill. Mr.. President he said.
lis the boidest raid upon public right
In the form OF legislation upon this
great subject that the highbinders OF
big business have ever succeeded In
having forced upon the serious con-
sideration OF congress- Never before
has any one undertaken seriously TO
put through congress charter for the
monopoiization and oppression OF the
commerce of this country, such as is
carried In the devious language and
hidden purposes OF this measure.
Never before has 1t been attempt
ed to fereciose the people OF this
country of their rights without
hearing and to fasten irrsvocably upon
the commerce of the country. the
public burcen of transportation
charges to pay interest and dividends
ppon all the watered stocks and bonds
which unrestrained corporate greed
has set aHoat In the financial chan
neis of this country.
yet Mr.. President. II we pause TO
inquire, IL vie are not already con-
WINGED before hand to vote for and
pass this legislation without investi-
CATION, of the conditions with which
1t deals, without any knowledge OF
Its effect In application. without even
being informed OF the reasons which
controlled In framing 1t, We are az
cused OF giving aid and comfort tn
the enemy and denounced by the at
torney-generai as traitors to the Re-
publican party and threatened with
the tftspseassfre Of the administration.
Haps MIR. Wickersham.
MIR. President. men who have
grown grey nghung the battles OF
the republican party are not obliged
to have their blieanism certified
by an attorney general. who until re-
Gently was known to the House chiefly
for the big business and financial in
terests Of New York.
Nor win they be tntirnfdated by
him or HIS kind In their efforts to
bring the Republican party in Con-
gress and In convention. as 1t still Is
among the people. back to the Repus-
licanaam OF IAacoIn---to the service Of
public interests and public interests
alone"
Senator La Toilette called attention
10 the fact that the bill as reported
provided that the Attorney General
should have charge and control in all
the proceedings OF tho court of com
merce and in the Supreme Court upon
appeal from the court .af commerce.:
that railroad corporation owning
not less than half the capital stock
of another railroad might acquire the
remainder Of such stock and for the
consolidation of railroads, providing
that such consolidation shall not be
construed to be In violation of the
Federal antitrust law.
He said that. In view of the large
and exclusive power" conferred upon
the Attorney Geenrai. upon whom the
protection OF the public interests In
voived was largely. II not. wholly. de-
pendent. II was desirable to consider
the construction likely to be placed
by the Attorney General on these seq
tons.
Cites Illustration,
In order to illustrate what might
be expected. Senator La Toilette then
reviewed the history Of the New York.
New Haven and Hartford merger with
the Boston and Maine railroad. He
called attention to tho fact that they
were competing Lines prior to the mer-
ger.
When President Taft was inaugu-
rated said he, "he found the New
Haven company holding the COM
merce OF New England by the throat.
Soon after the inauguration OF Taft
the New Haven induced thu lsgisla-
tnre to pass a holding company bill
designed to authorize the New Haven
70 acquire Indirectly all the stock OF
the Boston and Main railroad.
However, the people OF Massachu-
aetts did not despair continued La
Toilette; they could still rally on the
government at Washington and its
the antt-truat law.
While the holding law was pending
the attorney OF the Nav Haven had
q conference with Wickersham, tho
object OF which. the latter said. was
speedy trial OF the case or its
prompt dtscontinuance.
The holding bill was passed by the
Massachusetts, Legislature June IS,
1905, Senator La Fotfotte quoted
from interviews during the early part
OF that month to show that no inti-
nation as to q dtsmissal OF the suit
had been given to District Attorney
French,
'.Trsnch said on June ~ the pass-
ing OF the holding bill does not change
matters In the siightest degree re-
garding the Federal government mer-
ger suits against the New Haven
roAds," said La Toilette.
-Four days later he received or
ders from Wtckersham to dismiss the
case,
"Wioksrsham's explanation Of hts
action was that the community most
affected by the merger was the State
OF Massachusetts,, And It having pass-
ed the law authorizing the CONSOLE
dation, the attorney general had de-
stsrmined to Dismiss tho governments
action.
All States Affected,
NJ. La FoIlatte cpntended that tina
mssgsF affected NOT only MaSsachu-
estts, bat States throughout the Unioa,
wh0 had to pay freight rates upon the
manufactured products OF Massacha-
aoltsy
Tnexa ID warrant for tbs axssr-
49, o. iris sisw.' ssiA II R0alstts.