New-York tribune., 1912-02-23
WILSON TALKS ON TRUSTS.
Believes individuals Should Pay
Penalty When Wrongs Are Done.
THRONGS GREET CANDIDATE
Demonstration in Topeka Equals
One for William Jennings
Bryan in 1905.

Topeka, Kan, Feb. 22.-The coming Of
Woodrow Wilson 10 Kansas and his speech
tonight at the banquet OF the Kansas
Democratic Club brought out one of the
largest gatherings of Democrats here since
the visit of William Jennings Bryan in
1905.
Governor Wilson arrived this morning,
and the entire afternoon was spent IN hold
ing an informal reception. Long before the
day was over every available seat at the
banquet table had been taken. and de-
mands for more were turned down. The
banquet was held at Masonic Hall. one OF
the largest halls In the city, and 1t proved
too small to accommodate all who wanted
to hear the guest of honor
Governor Wilson spoke on The Relations
Of Business to the Government" saying in
part:
The cry OF the hour seems TO be that
business has grown so formidable in its In
dependent organization as to have set itself
up in rivalry to the government itself. and
that il therefore must be regarded: that the
whole force OF government must be bent to
the restraint Of business. | venture 10 sug-
geSt that what We are really after is not
the restraint Of business, but the restraint
of individuals who are putting business uUon
a false and selfish footing We do not wish
TO hamper the great processes Of our
economic life. but TO free them where they
have been made wrong of by men who
have ignored the common interest and
sought TO promote their own private and
selfish purposes by means that were neither
public spirited nor honorable. The rules
that we now seek to set up are that the
men who are making use of our corporation
laws for their own advantage shall not en-
ploy them to establish monopoly. that they
shall not use them TO limit credit 10 those
whom they draw into their own enter
prises. that they shall not, II they do
wrong. find covert and COnCealment within
the corporations whose power they employ
In respect to the restraint OF wrong, We
should deal with individuals rather than
with corporations. ii should be laid bare
OF whom business combinations consist,
and those of whom they consist should be
directly and individually dealt with when
ever a wrong is done, either TO an individ-
ual or to the freedom OF business itself.
The movement back 10 the people in the
field Of politics must precede the move
ment away from monopoly back TO free
opportunity. Business can be free only
when the nation is free. Americas pro-
grammc Of popular government IL Ameri-
cas- hope for prosperity. Political free
dom and commercial feedom 90 hand I'm
hand. Where there is monopoly In the
one there will be tyranny and special priv
ilege in the other
Democratic leaders were present to-day
from all over the state, and though many
meetings and conferences were held there
was no movement for the Endorsement OF
any candidate for the Democratic nom!ns-
tion for President.
In an address before the Kansas Demo
cratic Editorial Association this afternoon
Governor Wilson declared IL is not the cor
poration but the individuals who are using
certain corporations in breaking the la"
who should be punished.
1T does no good to fine a big corpora
ton" said the Governor. in nine cases
out OF ten the consumer pays the fine in
the end. Suppose corporation Of burglars
was formed and each time a burglary was
committed you fined the corporation. Would
not the corporation be perfectly willing 10
pay the fine II II was permitted 10 retain
it's expert cracksmcn?'
Governor Wilson will go 10 Lawrence.
Kan. early tomorrow morning. lie VIII
address the students at Kansas University
and thence 20 on TO ST Louis.