New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-10
"Do You Recommend Its DlSSo'
luton or Its ReCognitlOn?'
Query Put to Roosevelt.
POINTS TO INCONSISTENCY
Massachusetts Member De.
clares for Federal Incorpo-
ration and Creation of In
terstate Commission.


Washington. Aug. s-ln closing his
speech on the reports OF the Stanley steel
committee a night session OF the House
tonight Representative Gardner. Of Mas
sachusetts. directed the following thrust
at Colonel Roosevelt:
- ask Colonel Roosevelt the following
perfectly plain question: The lnterns-
tonal Harvester Company has such a
predominance in its particular industry
as TO be indistinguishable from monop-
oily DO YOU recommend its dissolution
or do you recommend it's recognition?
The name OF Colonel Roosevelt, linked
with that of the United States Steel Cor
poration because Of the Tennessee Coal
and Iron Company transaction. figured
several times in the debate. Before ad-
dressing an open question to the colonel
Representative Gardner, who defended
/ the minority views favorable 20 federal
incorporation Of all industrial concerns
whose capital exceeded 100000 and the
creation Of an interstate commission OF
/ industry with regulatory powers over cor
porations and prices. said:
| ON the floor Of this house last NIGHT
| the spokesman of the Progressive party.
I Mr. Iafferty. of Oregon. announced that
! Colonel Roosevelt and the Progressive
party favor policy Of dissolution for
I the trusts and federal control in add
/ ton. Until his confession Of faith
| Colonel Roosevelt had taken a position
opposed 10 dissolution. The Progressive
| platform Is interpreted by dissoluuonists
as calling for dissolution Of the trusts
/ and by rccognitionsts as calling Tor
recognition OF the trusts
! Declaring his inability TO reconcile the
previous views OF the former President
and his latest utjerances. Mr. Gardner
then propounded his question and will
await an answer from Oyster Bay.
/ Before Representative McGilicuddy. ~
| Maine. q Democratic member OF the com
mittec, obtained the floor. and roundly
| denounced the Steel Trust tonight Mr.
Gardner spoke for more than an hour IN
presenting the views Of the minority OF
tho Stanley Steel Investigating Commit
tee. For twenty years, he said. tho coun-
| try has been marking lime on the qucs-
/ ton OF the trusts. neither disSolying them
nor yet recognizing them. The time had
arrived he omphaticaliy asserted. for one
! course or the other.
What we need is good drastic recog-
milton OF large industrial units" he con-
| tinued. we have fooled too long with
| genteel dissolution"
Modern business men. he added. cannot
be forced to compete with one another.
o-day big BUSINESS rivals belong 10 the
| same club In New York" he argued.
and call one another old man over the
telephone Mr.. Gardner added
The minority lndorscs most OF tho leg
islation proposed by the majority. but
| calls II palliative legislation The con
| structive legislation proposed by the mi
| noTity looking toward the recognition OF
| trusts comprises compulsory national IN
! col poration and recapitalization without
| water and the creation Of on inter
state commission Of industry. This COM
! mission Is To- have the power 10 prohibit
| or regulate holding companies and iut"T-
| locking directoratcs. TO provide publicity,
TO award damages 10 injured parties and
| in general To have the powers OF the In
terstate Commerce Commission.
! Unless experience snail prove IL 10 DO
| necessary, this commission is not 20 have
| tho actual power 10 Ak prices. IL, now
| ever any price charged 10y a United
| States corporation Is adiudscd 10 be IN
| reasonable. ii is made the duty OF tho
| NbllilNISFl'll W 10 NJ Uubll' NFiAGl dAlbl
OF the fact and recommend q reasouabl
! price in its stead. Obviously, I'm cases
| where competition IS no longer operative
! the people will insist that prices shall
be kept within bounds By governmental
| agency
The majority bills do not spell dissolu-
| ton. The stock market tells us so plainly
! enough. II We really wish 20 break ~
the trusts, all We have 20 do. is to forbid
the concentration OF more than n giver
| amount Of capital under a single manage.
! mcnt. and then instruct our courts g
dissolve existing trusts into corporation
| within the prescribed size. That Will
| break up tho trusts fast enough, but i
will not prevent the surviving subdi
visions from arriving at price under
standing in very short time.
Mr.. Gardner declared he did not be
lieve IN dissolution as a remedy. lie seid
| combinations Of capital had their place
In the economic scheme % things. but
they should be made to behave. 4 re-
turn To the competitive system. Mr. Gard.
ncr insisted, would not mean lower prices
He pointed 10 the falling off in prices OF
the products Of the United States Siee
Corporation in the decade In which IN,
prices OF other materials and commodities
scared
cit may be that civilization Is In a
state of evolution" he said during which
socalisms creed must have a trial II
may he that government control will ultl
mately lead into collective ownership and
out Of Il again. The science of states
manship requires us 10 solve the pressine
problems. not to stand dumfounded and
Inactive because In no direction is the
future clear"
Representative McGillicuddy, referring
TO the absorption Of the Tennessee Goa
and iron Company by the United State,
Steel Corporation and the alleged acqul-
essence of eX-President Roosevelt, said
| Mr.. Roosevelts action was the mos
humiliatng surrender the country hat
ever known" and that the former Presi
dent had sold himself out TO the Stee
Trust heels, hide and teeth
FALL KILLS CHURCH JANITOF