Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1910-05-14
real LIV e.
WAS HlNGT0N GOSSIP
BY TAvENNER.

Washington, May II. The Demo.
Gratis. assisted by handful Of fight
ing progressive Republicans, have
forced Republican administration
to abandon some of the worst Of the
corporation-serving clauses placed
in the railroad regulation bill by
Attorney General Wickersham.
Wickersham framed this bill after
conference with six railroad presi.
dents. Wall street knew long before
the public appearance of the bill that
it would be so drawn as to annul
that feature of the Sherman anti
trust law which prevents mergers.
Railroad interests bought and sold
stock on the strength of their ad-
vance information. 1t is not plain
as yet wro supplied Wall street with
information as to the kind of bill
Wickersham would draft.
Had the bill become a law as pre-
pared by the attorney general, it
would have practically destroyed all
that has been accomplished in the
last twenty years to give the gov
ernment some measure of control
over the railroads of the country.
No attorney general of the United
States has ever been revealed in just
the position Mr.. Wickersham now
occupies.
Instead of having drawn a bill that
would tend to place greater safe
guards about the rights of the peo-
pie, as might naturally be expected
from a public officer who is receiv-
ing salary on the assumption that
his office is giving such protection to
the people, Wickersham has been
charged on the floor of the Senate
with having attempted to take from
the masses even such inadequate
safeguards as they now enjoy, while
at the same time giving the corpo-
rate interests the right to merge and
do other things that the Sherman
la v has forbidden them from doing.
AT the time of Wickersham' ap-
pointment it was averred that he
had been selected by President Taft
in Difference to the wishes of the
country, who had spent money and
coerced workingmen to vote the Re.
publican ticket, and who demanded
As compensation for this service the
privilege Of naming the attorney
general.
The feverish interest of special
privileges in this Office may be real
lied at full value when it is under
stood that the attorney general is in
absolute charge of the prosecuting
machinery Of the government.
Whether Wickersham's appoint
ment really was the result Of pre-
election arrangement or not, the
trusts have had no occasion to be
dissatisfied with the Presidents Sc
lection. Whenever the rights of the
people and special privilege come in.
70 conflict, Mr.. Wickersham decides
favorably 10 the corporate interests
and against the people. Some assert |
that Wickersham leans towards the
corporations because of his tempera-
ment, and others attribute his atti.
tude to force Of habit, he having
long been a corporation lawyer in
New York. Whatever the reason,
the records of the attorney generals 5 !
office show that Wickersham's opin'
ions are invariably favorable to the
big campaign fund contributing cor
porations.
President Taft's definition Of a |
Republican" member of Congress
is one who will vote for legi, lation
indorsed by him whether said Con-
gressman believes the legislation is |
good or bad
The President complains that me
insurgents visit him at the White
House and assure him of their great
personal respect and well-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?"
81 do, indeed, respect the Presl
dant hoth nersonally and officially"