Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1911-09-15
Washing tor News.
By Clyde II. Tavenner.

OF this newspaper.
Washington, Sept.-On the tenth
day of May 1902, the government flied
a petition for an injunction against the
beef trust in the federal court at Chi
cago. On July 9Th, 1911, the packers,
after having obtained forty-two delays
and postponements in the Intervening
nine years, again pleaded not guilty,
and for the forty-third time their trial
was postponed, this time Until Nov
ember Goth of this year.
The status of the beef trust prosecu-
ton, therefore, is exactly where it was
| the day the first papers were ii led near
| ly decade ago. The much heralded
prosecution" Of this gigantic trust-a
prosecution which has been directed
by one republican attorney general
after another-has amounted to less
than nothing
Every man, woman and child in the
country IS convinced that the trust
operates in violation of the law, both
statute and moral, and yetnothing has
been accomplished in the alleged cam
paign to stop these violations except
the disbursement of thousands of
dollars in fees for special ''trust bust
ing" attorneys.
What the people of Arizona really
haNa tn do
story that the American people have
never fully heard. Information has
gone out over the wires from Washing
ton that President Taft will permit
Arizona to enter the union by simply
striking the "recall of the Judiciary"
provision from its constitution.
But only when these facts are con-
sidered can The full significance of the
Presidents action be grasped;
First, that the people of Arizona by
a vote of three to one declared in favor
of the recall.
Second, that in order to obtain state
hood the people of Arizona must go to
the polls again and vote against
principle of government that they have
already voted IN favor of, and which
they believe to be right.
BY thus coercing the people to vote
against thing watch their best iudg.
ment tells them to be wise, threatening
to withhold from that people, unless
they vote as the chief executive die
tates, rights to which they are Justly
under the constitution. Pres-
dent Taft has committed himself TO an
action which is without precedent in
the history of the American republic.
The President has said 70 the people
of Arizona, in effect: "No matter
whether the majority believe that the
recall of judges is wise or not; unless
that majority goes to the polls and
pretends that it is against the recall, |
Will deprive the people CT Arizona of
statehood. Yes. | will deprive the
people of Arizona of statehood whether
they are entitled to it under the con
stilution or not, unless they vote not
the way they may desire, but as |
command them to vote.'
While this method of forcing the
people may be compatible to the meu-
tai workings of an executive with a
judicial temperament isn't it after
all making farce out of representative
government?
1t is difficult to see how President
Iafts 1900 mile swing around the
circle can end in anything but sorry
spectacle for himself.
If he tells the people the truth about
how he vetoed the honest attempt
of both branches of Congress to reduce
the high cost of living in this country;
how upon taking office he filled his
cabinet with men connected with the
law breaking trusts, and how he tried
ana nearly succeeded in giving Alaska
away to the land grabbets, he Will dis
credit himself.
If Mr.. Taft juggles the facts the
slightest degree, the Insurgents
swinging along in his tIail, will point
out bis misrepresentation with such
truth and logic that the President will
be moie discredited than if he had re-
NAMED at home.
The record of the Taft administration
is one that cannot be debated with anv
credit to the President. Mr.. Taft has
himself to blame, together with men
like Aldrich, Penrose, Guggenheim
and Lodge, 10 whose advice he listen ed
exclusively.
The wool trusts pra ,tlce of cheaper
ing the quality of its products while at
| the same time maintaining prices at
| the highest level ever known, has
drawn the fire of the medical journal :
all over the country. Through these
journals the physicians of the nation
! are protesting against the lack of warm