The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-18
LUKE lea TAKES
ALIENS As TEXT
Uses rnEIR CASE ~ EXAMPLE IN
CITING EXCUSE OFFERED ron
HARVESTER TRUST,
IGNORANCE OF PLEA
SENATOR CALLS IT SORT OF DEATH
BED REPENTANCE ron FOR
MEN CRIMIsAL ACTS
or ORGANIZATION
IGNORANCE OF PLEA
BY LUKE LEA.
United States Senator From Ten.

BY LUKE LEA,
United States Senator From Ten.
WASHINGTON. March 1.-THE
Senate has agreed upon q resolution
introduced by myself calling upon
the Department Of Justice for All
correspondence relating to the pro-
posed reconciliation OF the harvester
trust without court action In compu-
ance with the tobacco trust. the
Standard Oil decision by the United
states Supreme Court
Should the press OF the country
publish 4 scheme to pardon the heart
less Allen gang Of Virginia. because
its members did not know what the
law against murder 10 and ipdtvid-
uaIly and collectively they are sorry
that tho crime that they have COM
rs,itted. the nation would be shocked
beyond expression.
Its citizenship would rise en- rnsaee
and demand . tust and SUFFICIENT pun
iehment for the Members OF the gang.
Apparently there are no such SEN
sations over the news that the haf-
vester trust 10 to be granted an ABB
solute pardon for violating the Sher-
man antitrust law and permitted to
reorganfze under the abortive tobacco
trust and Standard Oil decisions upon
the plea that 1t did not know that
laws 1t gives a. a sort OF deathhed
repentance an expression OF sorrow
for its criminal acts OF the past.
- There rs dfffsrence in degree be-
tween the crime Of the Allen gang
and the harvester trust. In the I'M
deriying principle, however. they are
the same. Both are acts Of lawlesS-
ness-the fact that one set Is COM
posed Of rough, unedueated and cruel
mountaineers and the other OF men
Of intelligence, education. refinement
and learned in Questionable tricks
enhances and not lessons the offend
ing Of the latter class.
Barren Victories. He Says
The barren victories of the gov
eminent in the reorganization. OF the
Standard Oil and tobacco trust are
too we'll known for calculation here.
Sufice II to say that these reorgani-
cations have resulted only In increas-
Ing the prices of the commodities
controlled by them and enhancing
the value Of their securities. The
whole thing IL questionable and OF
doubtful prosperity. To reorganize q
third trust along the anne lines 10
something I cannot see proceed quiet
ly to a cuImination without a Wig
orous protest This Is particularly
true with respect to a corporation
like the harvester affecting directly as
1t does the great farming class that
enjoy 80 few governmental privileges
and bears such a heavy part Of tn.
burden of taxation. This class forms
the flesh and sinew Of the nations
manhood.
What the American people want to
know and what the Senate OF the
United States should want to know Is.
first. whether there has been any yio-
lation OF the law by the harvester
trust. and. second. II there has been,
why the men guilty Of offending
against the laws should not be prose-
cuted crtminally. That Is why In
troouced my resolution.
The American people ere no longer
deceived into believing greater COM
petition exists in any industry when
several corporations all dominated or
owned by the same financial interest
when that industry is monopolized
by single corporation.
Cites Allen Gang Again.
Reyerting again to the simile Of
the Allen gang. every man civilized
VI val pdsOuS AHoWS SuAl t0uEuGT IL
the worst. the most heinous Of all
crimes Murder will cease to be COM
mitted only when the certainty Of
punishment Of the guilty inspires
fear and respect for law against IT,
In our progressive civilization de-
struction OF competition and conse-
quent restraint OF trade is a much less
crime. In effect. as I said before they
are. the same In principle. AS In the
case Of murder by one set of men. the
destruction of competition by another
set OF men will continue 10 long as
there is no possibility Of the guilty es-
Gaping the consequences OF the law
against 1t. In the proposed Har-
vester Trust dissolution, its loud ex-
pressions OF pentience can no more
cry and implements, than the repent
.ance OF the Allen gang .cepld breath
the breath OF lit into the cold corpse
of Judge Mnssie.
What Senate WIN Do.
II the Department OF Justice should
place Its dealings with the Harvester
Trust upon the same diplomatic basis
as the State Department does In its
treaty negotiations with sovereign pow
ers and refuse to give the senate
the Information 1t asks for upon the
ground OF public policy. thu Senate
will undoubtedly Inform. the attorney
general that It, will deliberate on the
information asked for in executive
session.
Such a thing would be a rather
extraordinary proceeding. 1t il not.
however. beyond the bounds OF pos
sib'litv.
If the fnforma ton the Senate seeks
shows any criminal liability on the
part OF the Harvester Trust on,cisls.
resolution viii he introduced calling
upon the attorney genercl to rriminai-
ly prosecute them as individuals.