The Washington herald., 1913-02-13
BORAH, PROGRESSIVE,
Is REPUBLICAN STILL
Idaho Senator, at Baltimore Banquet,
Looks to Old Party for Rene
dial LEGISLATION.

Baltimore, Feb. 12.-Speaking before
the members OF the Union League Club
OF Baltimore, at the annual Lincoln Day
dinner tonight, Senator William E.
Borah of Idaho, heretofore classed as a
Progressive Republican. avowed himself
as being still a follower OF the Republi-
can organization. and expressed the
opinion that the party is still the most
effective instrument for bringing about
wholesome reform legislation.
The Senator from Idaho disavowed any
purpose to submit a plan for the reor-
ganization OF the Republican party. He
intimated that he did not think it
needed reorganization. His speech was
received with great enthusiasm by the
members Of the Union League Club and
their guests.
Senator Borah was the principal
speaker. Most of his speech was devot-
ed to consideration of the trust prob
lem, which he declared was the great
question of the hour confronting the Re
publican party. Speaking OF the growth
of industries and of wealth, since the
close of the civil war, Senator Borah
said: The self-supporting community
has disappeared. combination has fol-
lowed fast upon cooperation, independ-
ent business institutions have given
way to aggregations to wealth. stu
pendous in their reach and influence, not
only in business, but in politics"
How shall We minimize. regulate, and
control or eliminate the evils and the
wrongs which have come with 1t all?
How shall We continue to give the larg
est possible initiative and liberty to the
individual and at the same time preserve
the rights and insure the welfare of
the community as a whole?
1T must now be apparent to all that
standing alone and unaided the Sher-
man law can not accomplish what its
authors hoped il would accomplish. They
underestimated the ingenuity. the almost
supernatural sagacity of greed. II has
not destroyed nor even curbed monopoly.
The period during which this statute has
been upon the statute books is marked.
defined. and individualized as the period
Of the greatest growth of trusts, and
the most pronounced decadence of COM
petition. 1t has not protected the people
from eXtortion. 1t has not kept open
and free the channels of interstate trade.
1t has not preserved competition
The Senator then referred to testimony
before House committees to the effect
that business and manufacturing had
been closed to increase prices. goods had
had been sold in foreign markets cheap
or than at home, and that captains of
industry met at the banquet board and
fixed prices of tho necessities Of life
and divided the territory among them
with a boldness somewhat commend
aole. but apparently born Of the power
which they seemingly no longer stand in
fear of losing, they tell us that less
than 200 pen practically dominate the
banking and business interests of the
country. with a minuteness 0f detail and
relentlcSsness Of vigilance never eNer-
cised by the most arbitrary government.
And with n grace of egotism as refined
as 1t was apparently unconscious. those
same men admit that this would be a
menace, grave and imminent. to orr gov
ernment, II such power should accident
ally drift into bad hands. What a trav-
csty upon common sense. How bravely
these men rely upon the apathy Of the
people