The Irish standard., 1910-05-14
Some Clauses Stricken From
! Railroad Bill.
No Letters From Teddy to
President Taft.
Some Interesting Facts on
Tariff in Italy.


ing progressive Republicans, have
forced the administration to abandon
the worst of the corporation-servin
clauses placed in the railroad regula-
ton bill by Attorney General Wicker
sham.
Wickersham framed this bill after
a conference with six railroad presi-
dents. Wall Street knew long in adj
vance of the public appearance of the
bill that it would be so drawn as to
annul the Sherman antitrust law.
Railroad interests bought and sold
stock on the strength of their adj
vance information.
Had the railroad regulation bill be-
come law as prepared by Wicker
sham, it would have practically de-
stroyed all that has been accom-
plished in the last twenty years to
give the government some measure of
control over the railroads of the coun-
try.
No attorney general of the United
States has ever been revealed in just
the position Mr. Wickersham now oc-
cupies.
Instead of having drawn a bill that
would tend to place greater safe
guards about the rights Of the people
of the United States as might natur-
ally be expected from a public officer
sumption that he is giving such pro-
lection to the people, Wfckersham has
been charged on the floor of the Sell
ate with having attempted to take
from the masses even such inadequate
safeguards as they now enjoy. while ut
the same time giving the corporate in
terests the right to merge and do 9TH
err, things that the Sherman. law has
forbidden them from doing.
At the time of Understands APP
pointment it was asserted that he had
been selected by President Taft in
Difference to the wishes of the corpor-
ations Of the country, who had spent
money and coerced the working men
to vote the Republican. ticket, and who
service the privilege Of naming the
attorney general
The unusual interest of special priv
ileges in this office may be realized at
full value when it is understood that
the attorney general is in absolute
charge Of the prosecuting machinery
of the government.
Whether understands appointment
really was the result of pre- election
arrangement or not, the trusts have
had no occasion to be dissatisfied with
the presidents selection. Whenever
the rights of the people and special
privilege come into conflict, Mr.. Wick
ersham decides favorably to the cor
aporate interests and against the peo-
pie. This is what the records of his
. Office show.
President Taft's definition Of Re
publican" member of Congress is one
.g.W
by him whether said congressman be-
lieves the legislation is good or bad.
The president complains that the in
surgents visit him at the White House
and assure him of their great per-
sonal respect and we'll wishes, and
then go to the capitol and vote against
his railroad regulation bill.
''Why do you act this way?" a
progressive Republican was asked.
do you not respect the president of
the United States?"
''I do indeed, respect the president,
both personally and officially" was the
reply. But 1 have even more respect
for the welfare Of 90,0OO,000 people of
athis country. The president sends the
Congress railroad regulation bill
which absolutely annuls the Sherman
antitrust law. Along with the bill
comes the ultimatum that our vote on
this measure will be considered a test
of our Republicanism. Wickersham,
who drew the infamous document, says
3 that Republicans who refuse to vote
for the measure are socialists. We are
willing to show all proper respect for
the president. but he seems to fail to
understand that a distinct moral ques-
ton is involved. AS between serving
our conscience or the president, we
are put to the painful necessity of for
saking the president and voting
against his railroad BILL"
The recently reformed" house COM
mittee on rules is proving to be as Sc
cure a, catacomb for proposed legisla-
tion antagonized by the special inter-
ests as was the one of which Speaker
Cannon was chairman. Not single
resolution which might adversely af-