South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-12-11
WILSON HAS TWO
WAYS Of GOING
AFTER TRUSTS
One is to Attack Special Privi-
legeS and the Other to Jump
on SuppreSSive Tactics -
May Take Latter.

n ASH -NiTION. Dec ll.-Inere are
TWO remedies which may be- applied 10
trusts. one j. TO attack the special
privilege on which they rest. the 9th
err - TO define certain practices which
tend 90 suppress competition and 10
atte mpf by law To- eradicate these
practices. Pres Wilson is being urged
by some Of his cabinet associates to
10 adopt the former method. IL is
probable. however. that he will make
recommendation along the lines of
the latter This is what he did as gov
ernor OF New Jersey and il is what he
orally approved during the campaign
when ne accepted the recoHmenda-
tions OF Mr.. Brandeis on This subject.
William ]. Bryan as secretary OF
state is not the courageous Bryan we
rom ember listening 20 in 1896 at the
CHICAGO convention. When heckled az
the National Popular Go, eminent
league convention last week by "a
woman suifrasist who asked him
plainly but respectfully whether he
believed women should he allowed 10
vote. Col. Bryan weakly sidestepped by
answering in substance. Il am sin
cere".
In the Philippine islands there is a.
prison where 1900 convicts live. work
and drill under government super
yisOrs without a bar or bolt to keep
them or a gun or armed guard TO re-
strain them In this far-off country
our people have learned that crime is
economic in it's origin and that the
cure is likewise largely economic
These alleged criminals are called
"colOnists" and are given a chance to
work in retaining and cultivating the
soil. and after a period of good be-
haviOr are given land for themselves
TO own and cultivate. and after a fur
Their period of time can bring their
wives and children and are TO all in
tents free. BY thus treating convicts
as human beings ii is found they act
like human beings and are just as
good citizens as the judges and officials
who condemn them.
Through the sheaves Of statistics
hurled at the Interstate Commerce
commission by the railroad experts
now arguing in favor of increased
freight rates there stands out one
fact and one alone. In order to pay
interest charges on bonds and divi-
dend payments on stock, the railroads
need the five per cent increase in
freight rates. But the stock and bonds
are largely water The public is ask
ed TO submit to an added five per cent
tax on all freight transportation,
which means a five per cent tax on
practically everything consumed,
which means that much added to the
cost of living. Why? In order that
the railroads may nay the dividend on
stocks which they have issued, 10
large extent for speculative purposes.
The railroads are in exactly the posi- !
ton of a man who comes around on
Monday morning after a Saturday
night spree. He has spent his money
and is touching his friends for the
price of the next weeks meals. The
railroads have rioted away the money
that should have gone into tracks. To- ,
comotives and other bettermentS and
now they are touching the general
public for q five per cent advance. If
the public responds to this touch. Will
it solve the problem? The railroads
say they need this increase TO re !
store their credit, and increase their |
borrowing power. That means that
they would at once go off and issue |
new securities which means more wa
ter for the stock hich means more in
terest burden. which means that IN 1--WE
years they would be around again. |
asking for an increase of ten per cent |
in freight rates. A cheaper way Will |
he for the government TO take the
railroads over cat actual value) and |
the railroads themselves are begin
ming to see this.