Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-08-22
Author Of Sherman Law Opposes
Roosevelt Party.
veteran Ex-senator from Vermont
Thinks That the Third.Tefmer, II
Elected, Would Permit 1ndus.
trial Monopoiiss to Flourish.

Trust law twenty-five years ago ana
has defended II against all manner OF
assaults since. 10 strongly opposed to the
recollection Of Theodore Roosevelt.
The former President. he believes. is
friend Of the Trusts. and the veteran
legislator said he was convinced that. II
chosen again to the White House. Roose-
welt would permit industrial monopolies
to flourish In the United States unmolest-
ed by the Government. 1t Is on this
ground that Mr.. Edmunds opposes the
Colonel's reelection.
Ex-senator Edmunds was 81 years
old on February I. but despite
his years, he Is taking a lively interest
in the present contest for the Preei-
dency. especially as II concerns the Sher-
man law, which he regards. naturally
enough, as the most potent on the fed
eral statute hooks. Seated In a big arm
chair on the porch Of his home, over
| looking the Atlantic, near Point Pleas
ant, n. j., he arraigned In strong terms
| all those who are advocating a change
| In the Antitrust law. Particularly did
| ne jndlct Roosevelt's attitude toward the
big industrial corporations. In answer to
the specific question:
| do you feel that the Trusts will be
seriously disturbed in doing what they
like after March 4, 1918. In event Of
Roosevelt's election" Mr.. Edmunds
made this reply:
II think that then the Trusts and mon
opolies will not fear the Sherman law.
or any otker law that can he imagined
to disturb the progress Of what the ex-
ponents and supporters Of Trusts and
monopolies call innocent and benehcent
cooperation.
IMPORTANT LEGISLATION IN
SIGHT
he was too old, he explained. 10 per.
init partisanship to interfere with his
Judgment OF what was best for the coun-
try. The next Administration. he said.
would be confronted with much impor-
tant legislation. The Roosevelt party
would not be able to cope properly with
the situations that we're destined to
arise.
The ex-senator contends that the
American people are essentially sober
minded and that the twelve weeks re-
naming before the election will find a
steady drift away from Roosevelt.
II have not permitted myself to think
that the Third-Term candidate will be
chosen at the polls on November s." he
said. IT can't think that the majority
Of votes will split so evenly on Taft
and Wilson as to give Roosevelt n plural.
ity."
Roosevelt, II will be RENE mbered. made
J his maiden appearance In national poll
tics as a supporter Of Edmunds for the
Presidency in the national convention OF
1884. E,lnunds got thirty-four votes, and
James G.. blaine was nominated.
Mr.. Edmunds's chief interest Is in keep.
ing the Sherman law inviolate That
President Taft has been honest and fear.
y less In calling the law into active serv.
ice. and that the present Executive has
arrested for the present the drift toward
Industrial an,algamation and monopoly
IL his stanch belief.
Had the earlier Presidents-Cleveland
Mckinley. and Roosevelt-been as active
as Taft has been in enforcement Of tht
Antitrust law OF $780," he declared
'many Of our most ubiquitous monopolte,
would never have been born, and tn,
. situation faced to-day Of strong indus
, trial Trusts at every hand would neve
, nave become possible.
: ment of the Government had beel
9 earnestly and fully performed immediate
ly after the antitrust law went into ef
:, feet we would not now be vexed witt
these matters. OF this, I am sure tn
present administration appears to hav
recognized neither friend nor foe In tax
ing care that the law be faith
. fully cxecuted-to use the word
In which the command Of tn
constitution Is phrased. To put tn
execution Of the Sherman law again Int
. the hands of gentleman who did moi
- when he had the opportunity. obey tina
=, cornTand would result. In my opinion. 4
- the law falling into a state OF VIVA
70 the late President Cleveland. In respec
OF another subject, once called innocu
- GUS dcsuetude.'
9 TENNESSEE DEAL RECALLED
e ~ the people wish for that. they wi
$ vote for the third-term candidate. I car
o not conceive Of a situation that Nigh
n arise In which Mr.. Roosevelt would d
10 otherwise than he did in his last Admir-
b istration. when he permitted the Unite
n States Steel Corporation to absorb IN
Tennessee Coal & Iron company for a
I
It the law. and when, again. ne deliberate
ly instructed his Attorney General I
10 drop the suit against the Harvests
D. Trust a monopoly whose bancfu inf,
y ence has for many years been felt b
d. every farmer Of our great West"
30 Mr.. Edmunds is opposed to a change
any part of the law which he drafte
- in 1890. In Its present form, he holds.
forbids exactly what should be forbidden
:. and any alteration will weaken and max
- 1t ineffective.
-, THE law now covers the whole field
- prevention and redress" he asserte
" Good administration of the law, bot
" executive and judicial. will be certain
" accomplish its proper purpose in II
- end.
IN ITO whatever extent they change II
~ law, they will spoil it. This, for II
g, simple reason that they will find that
~ does. In general terms, all that the Coz
stitution permits II TO do. The thing
Or he accomplished Is to preserve the fire.
90 dom of trade and TO regulate It's NOV
% nent In support Of that freedom. An
IN therefore, Congress has done to protect
- everything that IL possible In legi
IA lative enactment. The law as
n. stands or the statute books to-day pr
>. hibits and Furnishes every act that Il
terfercs with the liberty OF free Compel
ton in trade or that accomplshes ar
4, monopoly In that trade. In the judici
W administration Of the law there Is give
"a full pOWcr to the court IN a pniS, an Al