The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1910-05-13
IN honest politics and fair play.
Frank Pinnick
Our WASHINGTON Letter.

The Democrats, assisted by a
handful of fighting progressive
Republicans. have forced a Re-
publican administrator to aban-
don me of the worst of the
corporatIon-serving clauses plac-
ed in the railroad speculation bill
by Attorney General Wickersham
Wickersham fram5d this bill
after a conference with SIX rail
road presidents. Wall street
Snew long before the public APP
pearance of the bill that il would
be so drawn "a 10 aunu! that fea-
ture of the ). erman antitrust
law which prevents mergers.
Railroad interests bought and sold
stock on Tn strength of their adj
vance information. 1t is not
lplaiA as yet who supnlied Wall
street with information as to the
kind of a bill W.ckersham would
draft.
Had the bill become a law as
prepared by the attorney general
it would have practically destroy
ed all that has been accomplished
in the last twenty years to give
the governmer some measure OF
control over the railroads of the
country. No attorney Cf th-
United States has ever been re-
vealed in just the position Mr.. /
Wickersham now occupies.
Instead of drafting a bill that
would tend to place greater safe
guards about the rights CT the
people, as might naturally be ex-
pected from a public officer who
is receiving a sa airy on the assum-
ption that his office is given such
protection to the people. Wicker
sham has been charged on the
floor o. the Senate with having
attempted to take from the mas
SEES even such inadequate safe
guards as they now enjoy, while
at the same time giving the cor
Dorate interests the right to
merge and do other things that
the Sherman law has forbidden
tn IN from doing.
President Taft's definition of
a Republican" member of Con-
yress is one who viii vote for
legislation indoi sed by him wheth
er said Congressman believes the {
gislation is coed or bad
The President compla ms that ]
he insurg MS visit him at the
White House and assure him of
heir great personal respect and
we'll wishes, and then 90 to III
Capitol a. d vote against his rail-
road regulation bill.
why do you act this wsy?"
progressive Republican was asked
10 YOU not respect the Presi-
lent of the United States?'' &
Il do, indeed, respect the pres $
dent, both personally and official &
y" was the reply. but | have
wen more resp ct for the welfare I
# 80, 900, 0e0 people of this coun- +
ry. The President sends the
congress a railroad regulation ]
ill which absolutely annuls the a
sherman antitrust law. Along I
With the bill comes the ultimatum v
hat our vote on this measure s
will be considered . test of our d
sepublicanism. Wickersham, j.
Vho drew the infamous document Il
avs tibet Republicans who refuse I
vote for the measure are So il
lalists. We are willing TO show b
ii proper respect to the Fresi- g,
ent, but he seems to fail to I'M F
erstand that a distinct moral T
uestion is involved. AS be- Ii
veen serving our conscience or e,
ne President, we are put to the X
ainful necessity of forsaking the m
resident and voting against his A
abroad BILL"
The recently reform" House
ommittee on rules is proving to ],
e as secure a catacomb for pro fl
osed legislation antagonized by a,
lie special interests as was the ri
ne of which Speaker Cannonly
as chairman. Not a single res b
ution which might adversely Of
feet un awful combinations such
; the suger trust has been re- !,
Orted favorably by the new COM :.
ittee. Speaker Cannot DOM +
Isted the reform body just as
ffectively as he did the old rules
,mmittee. I"
During the first three days of
ay the government spent 81, =
1.