The Washington herald., 1913-03-23

| lumber lords" have their 'heel on the
PROSTATE body of the consumer" but
the time is coming when the people will
compel Congress to "paralyze the hand
now fleeing their pockets" The United
States Steel Corporation. so Mr.. Henry
declares. is ''the giant oppressor of the
universe" and the present tariff law is
the most outrageous tax measure ever
placed upon the statutes Of any govern
ment in Christendom."
still He IL an Optimist.
on his feet and quietly sitting in his
Office, Mr.. Henry is calm OF temper, dig
nified in bearing, and very friendly to all
his callers. He is six feet tall, and will
soon be forty-nine years old. His hair Is
black, his eyes are brown, his voice Is
deep, and he wears fashionable clothes.
Though his word paintings are often
gloomy, with monsters chasing victims
in the foreground, he has not abandoned
hope concerning his country. Il have no
fear about the future" he told me. IF
our fathers were wise and patriotic
shall in wisdom and patriotism preserve
it. l am an optomist, but I realize that
we must also act as well as to feel cheer
full and confident
The Democratic victory last November,
after 'the greatest political battle since
the beginning of this government" as
Mr.. Henry terms II, has brought a flood
Of sunshine into the days which are to
come, as he foresees them. president
Wilson," he said to me, will keep the
Democratic party united. While he is
not guided by an ambition to cement
Democracy into a harmonious and vic
torious political organization, he IS
standing for the principles which We
love, and thus every element worth saw
ing will be satisfied and even enthusi-
astic."
What" asked. should be done with
the trusts?'
Il should disintegrate and utterly Grad
icate them. The conflict between the
trusts and the people is and should be
irrepressible- / should amend the Sher-
man law by striking out the word 'un-
reasona BILE which was legislated into II
by the present Supreme Court of the
United States. Then ] should make a
violation OF the law punishable with a
term in the penitentiary ranging In
length betweeL two and ten years. John
Sherman. the author OF the law; Reagan.
the great Senator from my State; Vest
of Missouri and other learned lawyers
and legislators, so believed and SO spoke
when the measure was before Congress.
Moreover, imports coming in competition
with trust-controlled products should be
placed on the free list.
would Use = scorpion's Lash.
The Standard Oil trust was created in
1852. During the following twenty years
its profits amounted to more than a bill
lion dollars-they reached the enormous
sum Of sSj0oo.0Oo in 1907. The net earn
ings of the United States Steel Corpora
ton were nearly sl57. 100000 during the
year 1905. have said that trusts
el1 ~ t.. A.
constitutional manner until they were
driven out of existence. The power to
tax our Supreme Court has said. is the
power to destroy
Il have stated on the floor Of the House
of Representatives that while the power
to tax should never be abused. it should
be employed as scorpions lash till
every trust is prostrated in. the dust at
the peoples feet and made willing to obey
they statutes of the country. / should
tax the products of trusts within con-
stitutional limits, per cent, 20 per cent,
40 per cent or whatever rate that Is
necessary to drive these plunderers of
the people out of business. 1 should
tax their stocks. bonds and deposits in
banks. If possible. Taxing the trusts.
placing their products on the free list
and sending the owners of trusts to the
penitentiary would. in my judgment, re-
store competition and end monopoly.
Monopoly Is a vice the people have
been battling against for centuries. But
it was sporadic anciently. The modern
monopoly was really esta blished by Queen
Elizabeth Of England. who gave exclusive
trading privileges to her soldiers and
courtiers in such articles as iron, steel,
coal. leather; wool. salt, cloth, vinegar,
yarn. paper, powder. glass. beer and SO on.
Is not bread included?' asked a sar-
castle member. when the list was read in
the House of Commons. Hume says that
5000 English dealers and shopkeepers
were ruined. Prices of commodities, of
course. went up. They always do under
such circumstances. The situation be-
came so bad that Elizabeth annulled most
of the privileges. Members of Parlia-
ment thanked her on their knees and
likened her to God in love, wisdom, and
justice.
The History of a Great Word.
More than three centuries later a mo-
nopoly in kerosene was established in
this country. Trusts in sugar and beef
followed. The people. perceiving their
danger, demanded action by Congress. To
Sherman, Of Ohio, then in the Senate,
must be given the honor Of initiating the
law that has always borne his name. 1t
was signed by President Benjamin Har-
rison on July 2. 1880. The law has never
been amended, and should not be repealed.
1t can be made better. however. ~
have said. Studied and debated for
months. il then represented and now rep
resents the will Of the people.
Congress has never changed the Sher-
man law. but the Supreme Court, during
recent days, has written into 1t the word
Unreasonable thereby performing an un-
warranted act Of judicial LEGISLATION. OF
that the people complain. The Supreme
Court reversed itself with respect to the
Sherman law, and also overturned its
own decisions concerning the constitu-
tionality Of tax on incomes. Such deci-
sions have lessened the respect Of the
people for our Judges. No man should
arouse the country against the courts.
Nor should any one make fetish Of the
judicial ONCE. I am not censuring the
judiciary. Still 1t L. not above criticism.
and should be properly rebuked when
necessary. Judges themselves are largely
responsible for the sentiment now preva-
lent that they should be recalled under
certain circumstances.
THE Sherman law stood for many
passed by Congress and signed by the
President. Is 1t confined asked Mr..
Justice Peckham, In the great decision
OF the Supreme Court in 1896. to q con-
tract or combination which Is only in
restraint Of trade or com, |
merce. or does 1t include, what the Ian |
guage Of the act plainly and in terms |
covers, all contracts of that nature?
All cotracts in restraint Of trade or COM |
merce, the court then held. were unlaw- |
full.
The Supreme Court Stood Firm.
.aThe court declined TO foist the word