New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-29
AROUND THE STUMP.

Governor Wilson's gyToSrauc appara-
ms got 10 work at Bridgeport, Conn,
Friday evening on the money trust
ouestion. He is as versatile on the
subiect Of chasing the money devil
as he is I'm chasing the ogre OF protec-
zion. Sometimes be is ready TO inmo-
late the money devil" hoofs, horns
and all. and then, presto, change his
ferocity vanishes and be is seen merely
giving the evil genius which has his
lair IN wall Street a friendly and ad-
ponitory tap on the shoulder.
At Bridgeport he was in the no-quar-
ter mood, and told his auditors:
This money trust" OF which Congress
Nos beaain an investigation is no
myth, no imaginary thing. 1t has the
mower OF life and death, economically
sneaking have seen men crushed
nv n and put out OF business by wan
street because Wall Street found them
inconvenlent and did not want theH
competition.
That was in the vein of his famous
Harrisburg speech of 1911, "hich
caused much trepidation Mt the time III
circles where the money devil Is
looked upon as q much maligned per
sonage and still enjoys q considerable
personal popularity. A year ago Gov
ernor Wilson was convinced that tine
great monopoly in this country Is the
"money monopoly" and that 80 long as
eft exists our old variety and freedom
"and individual energy Of development
care out Of the question Yet that
oninIon he holds only when the wind
blows east-nOrtheast. But when u
bInws west.southwest be Is willing 10
admit that a good many hard things
have been said unjustiiably against
defendant who is entitled TO his day IN
vourt and against whom nothing has
developed except a mere suspicion
In his speech accepting the Demo
cratic Presidential nomination, which
musr be held TO reflect his most delib-
crate mood. he talked about certain
"confederacieS" Of interest in Wall
Street about which there IS nothing
Illegal. 50 far as I can perceive and
added:
They are part Of our problem. Their
very existence gives rise to the sus-
picion Of a money trust concentra-
ton of the control Of credit which may
at any time become infinitely danger
Gus 10 free enterprise. II such con-
centration and control does not actu-
nllv exist. II Is evident that it can
easily be set M and used at will.
Laws must be devised which will pre-
vent this. II laws can be worked out
by fair and free counsel that viii ac-
complish that result without destroy
ing or seriously embarrassing any
sound or legitimate business under
taking or necessary ana wholesome ar
rangement.
What he called at Harrisburg the
greatest monopoly in the United
Estates" had become in his nOn-alarm-
list Sea Girt speech only hgment OF
the prolific faculty of Suspicion, mere
possibility Of the future. The money
deviT' had not horns aid claws, but
was merely getting ready some day to
sprout them. Now at Bridgeport the
eprouting is described as having taken
place. and in the power of the matured
beast are 'life and death, economically
speaking" Our great dualistic states
man loves to chase the "mOney devil
or the tariff devil around the stump.
And neither of these hunted person
ages can hope to travel about the circle
with greater speed and agility than are
exhibited 10y their many-sided and
many minded pursuer.