Evening star., 1912-09-19
Roosevelt Accuses Democratic
Nominee of Misstatement.
CONTROL OF THE TRUSTS
Claims Plank Of the Progressives Is
Misrepresented.
HAD URGED AS PRESIDENT
Denies That It Was Originated by
Perkins and Gary-Likens It to
Interstate Commission.

TRINIDAD. Col, September ia de-
NAL of statements attributed to Gov.
Woodrow Wilson in regard to the pro-
gressive party's attitude toward trusts
was made by Col. Roosevelt in speech
here today. He said Gov. Wilson had
made statements which were not In ac-
cordance with the facts. Gov. Wilson.
he said. was quoted as saying in speech
at Sioux Falls. S. D., that the progress
sive plan would work for the interests of
the large corporations and would give
them control of the market for labor.
This is Col. Roosevelt's reply:
"Mr. Wilson should be above misquot-
ing facts in order to bolster up his argu
ments. Mr.. Wilson has an entire right
to defend his own platform If he feels
bold enough to do so. and an entire
right to assail the progressive platform,
but he should confine himself to telling
the facts as they are. In his speech
yesterday he stated that the method now
proposed by the progressives to regu-
late the trusts was suggested by Messrs
Gary and Perkins before the committee
Of the House of Representatives named
to look into the steel trust. And he
stated 1t was done to save the United
States Steel Corporation from the ne
NSSSSA
it's competitors.
Repeatedly Urged in Messages.
Neither of these statements is in ac-
cordance with facts. Not once. only, but
again and again, in messages to Congress
and In speech after speech, while I was
President, 1 advocated the method pro-
posed by the progressives for handling
fH4 r,hfn fnt, ic u
the principle applied in the interstate
commerce commission.
II wish to call attention at this time
to the fact that as far as l know the
Overwhelming majority of men who con-
troll both the steel corporation and the
Harvester trust are supporting either Mr..
Taft or Mr.. Wilson. They are certainly
opposing me. Indeed, as far as know,
the only man connected with either or
ganization who is supporting me is Mr..
Perkins himself.
Mr. Wilson has not offered any action
differing In any essential point from the
action taken by the present administra-
tion against the. Standard Oil trust The
only result Of that action by the present
administration against the Standard Oil
trust was to iegalize that monopoly.
Such being the case, l do not wonder
that every crooked monopoly which wish
to the progressive party and to me, and
is seemingly entirely willing, to have
either Mr.. Taft or Mr.. Wilson come into
power.
Control of Labor Market.
'Mr. Wilson further said that under the
progressive platform the corporations
would control the market for labor and
stated that the only chance for labor is
in competition. He says that the legis-
lation we propose would put the working
man in the Iower of the big industrial
concerns.
There Is a very simple way of testing
the worth of this statement. Has the
interstate commerce law put the work
ingnan more in the power OF the rail-
roads? Let Mr.. Wilson answer this queS-
tion. If it has, then 1t is his business to
advocate the repeal of the interstate COM
merce law. II 1t has not, and no man with
an atom of sense imagines II has, then
MIR. Wilson should In frank ard manly
fashion at once admit that he has made
rather absurd mistake and that there
is not the least particle Of ground for
fear expressed.
Evils of Unlimited Competition.
"Mr. Wilson is a believer in the out
worn doctrine of the benefits of unlim-
tied and reckless competition AS q mat
ter OF fact. every wise leader of labor
and friend of labor knows that such un-
limited and. reckless competition spells
ruin for the majority of wage workers.
That is why in the progressive platform
we advocate the really practical meas
ures for giving to the average wage
worker living wage.
Il call your attention to the fact that
ours Is constructive policy and Wilson
does not put forth single constructive
proposal. His policy is not even de-
struct1ve. 1t Is only make-believe de-
struction. His policy is merely to do
nothing: Our policy is effectively to con-
troll and regulate the big trusts
Col. Roosevelt spoke at La Junta be-
fore reaching Trinidad. Other Colorado
cities In which he is scheduled to speak
today are Rockyford, Pueblo, Colorado
Springs and Denver.
Roosevelt Meets Pueblo Indians.
Col. Roosevelt saw much of the Indians
OF New Mexico yesterday, and before he
started for Colorado last night had struck
up a neighborhood acqua ntance with
them Most of the day was spent in the
run across the state. and whenever the
train stopped the Indians and Col. Roose-
Welt studied each other.
1t was the Pueblo Indians whom Col.
Roosevelt met wherever he went yester-