The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-02
antitrust law insofar as 1t might seem

 antitrust law insofar as 1t might seem necessary.
 Existing antitrust laws have been viz orously enforced.
 W are hoping for a readjustment of our returns with Canada that shall bring the two countries into a closer comn1er- cial union, beneficial to both.
 Finally. we are committed to an elim- nation of the defects in our banking and , currency system with respect to which l the monetary commission has accumu- lated much material.
 Party Is Progressive
 No one can read the list of measures actually passed and those proposed by 1 the national republican party and not admit that the party is progressive in 1 the highest degree. It is a list to be proud of. The extraordinary achieve ments of this Congress may fairly be said to be part of great republican movement. It is not work of the execu- tive alone, or of the Congress alone. | It Is not the work of one man or of one | faction. AS all shared in the work so we all must share in the satisfaction of | accomplishment. It is the work of re- publicans. It marks the rising tide> of progress that began at the end of a democratic panic when William McKin- ley was our leader, and that continued | throughout the two administrations of | Theodore Roosevelt.
 It Is truly a republican distinction that our party has been able to place on the statute books far-reaching remedial leg islatisn, touching the very vitals of our social and economical structure without involving the country in financial disas- l ter.
 party of true progress is not a party of radicalism. l. Is not a party of ultra | conservatism. A progressive republican is one who recognizes existing and con- | crete evils and who Is in favor of practi- cal and definite steps to eradicate them.
 Now what are the specific evils that have reused our people? believe that they have been growing Tn this country for years and they can be briefly stated l thus: Specific Evils
 First-The corrupt control of legisla- | tive and governmental agencies for the establishment. maintenance and enjoy ment of unjust privileges by individual or corporate wealth.
 To make this control effective, there have been organized and maintained cor rupt machines within both parties which break the current of communication and | responsive action between the people and those who are elected to serve and repre- sent them.
 second-Combinations of capital, indus trial business, generally brought togeth- CT for the ostensible and commendable purpose of reducing the costs of produc- ton and distribution, have too often had the real purpose of suppressing competi- | ton. controlling prices and maintaining monopoly. Everyone who Is frank must admit that great progress has been made In fighting these evils. Fifteen years ago fn o,1r n resources were frequently disregarded.
 The natural resources of the nation are now in the way of being conserved for the people, who are the ultimate owners l of such resources and ought to remain l so.
 Corporate Abuse
 Fifteen years ago one of the commonest forms of corporate abuse was the man. agement of our railways in the interest of favored individuals by secret rebate. That day has passed. Our new railway act goes much further and greatly in- creases the powers and duties of the in- terstate commerce commission. The dis cretion of the commissioners, not within judicial control by appeal, is now very wide, and they have in their hands for the veal or woe of general business a power that sometimes makes one trem- ble. The personnel of the commission be- comes, therefore, as important as that of our highest courts. The responsibility of the executive in the appointment of the commissioners is a heavy one. A trend or bias of mind on the part of a member is dangerous. The judicial quality of each should be fine.
 We have said tp the railroads and their stockholdersS I've cannot trust to competition and we cannot trust to you the fixing of proper rates." Having created a tribunal with power to settle what rates arc just 1t should be borne in. mind that the public welfare and the whole business of the country may be injured as much by injustice to the rail ways and the result of an unwise clamor for low rates. as by the imposition of extortionate rates. It Is not without sig nificance in this connection that employees and wage earners of railways are today associating themselves together for the purpose of using their influence to pre- vent to their employers by oppressive T legislation or oppressive regulation under the interstate commerce commission.
 Fifteen years ago the general con- trol of legislatures by corporate in- fiuence and corruption was far great CT than 1t is today. The crusade initi- ated by MT. Roosevelt and carried on r during his term Of office resulted first in arousing the entire community to \ the necessity for reform, and second in inducing many corporation mana gers to abandon methods that were questionable and to leave politics to other hands.
 It was impossible to arouse the peo- pie to a just indignation at corrupt corporate control through machine and boss rule without having such a move ment acquire an impetus that carries it to extreme views and the elector- ate is now searching for reform pro- cedure under which bosses cannot live much less control, and corruption , can never exert influence.
 Hence we have movements to elim' 4.s zt 4sst s es f