The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1914-02-05

the emu OF tu0 present CouBTcSs IL
March, 1915. the powers of the board
which the president wants to have ap
pointed will be largely increased ant
that ultimately 1t will have standing
equal to that of the interstate com
merce commission.
The administration apparently has
felt that the Progressives Of the coun
try, lei by Theodore aoosevelt, would
say 1t had become a convert to theil
views /; It should recommend tie es
| Establishment ct such board as Colo
mel Roosevelt and other Progressive
! leaders have advocated from the first
1t is thought here that the Democrat
believe they can develop this Progress
sive plan 80 slowly as to take away
! whatever capital the Progressive:
may try to make out of the admins
tration's apparent conversion to one OF
their policies. Already the Progress
sives of the country are saying thai
President Wilson has begun to stea
some of their thunder.
Making the Guilt Personal.
Today the leaders In congress are
still comforting on the matter OF
strengthening antitrust legislation sc
as to make 1t certain that guilt car
be made personal When Theodore
Roosevelt was president Of the United
States he was credited with saying
that dozens OF managers, superintend
ents. head bookkeepers and other jun
Tors in big corporations could be put
into Jail for violation of the antitrust
laws, but that 1t would be little less
than criminal to put the little fellows
in jail and to let the big fellows es
cape.
Investigations by the attorney gen
erals department in the Roosevelt
and Taft days showed that the heads
OF great corporations which were be
lieyed to be conducting business ir
violation OF the law had so covered
up their personal tracks that they
could not be followed by the law and
reached by it's hand. One OF the worst
features of the whole situation was
Tie W illllisutSS vi lilt blE iith o' ~
arrange things that the responsibility
should fall on their subordinates, who
would have to go TO prison If any
body went.
to do Is to make the law so strong
that there will be certainty when
there are law violations that the big
fellows can be arrested, after assur
ance that the evidence is right to put
them behind the bars. Admittedly
one of the hardest tasks which the
Democrats have is the framing OF a
law that will produce this result. Time
and again the guilt of the big men has
been known positively and yet it has
not been susceptible OF proof.
Colombian Treaty Not Liked.
Day by day the belief is grow
ing stronger in Washington that
the United States senate will refuse
to ratify the treaty with the Co
lombian government that the state
department has prepared containing
a provision for the payment TO the
Colombians of 100000 for their
loss OF Panama and also containing a
paragraph of apology from this gov
eminent for having recognized the in
dependence of Panama over night"
Hannis Taylor. who is acting "a
counsel for the Colombian govern
ment, is urging that the United
Nt hnn IN into
the treasury OF the South American
country the sum OF $25 100000 for the
Panama strip, but shall further soothe
its wounded feelings by humble apol-
ogy for an act OF the Roosevelt ad.
miuistration. Endorsed later by the
Taft administration and which many
senators and representatives seem
fully to believe has been Endorsed by
a majority of red-blooded citizens OF
the United States.
BaIk Especially at Apology.
There are Republicans and Demo
Gratis IN the senate whose personal
and political relations with Theodore
Roosevelt are not warmed by the fires
or aHpCtlOn. IL Will tLkt Il lOl vi
pleading, however, to get these men
to vote gift OF $25, 100000 to the
Colombian people as payment for
something which many Americans
think did not belong to them. 1t can
be said that from all appearances the
suggestion of an apology Is more re-
pugnant to the majority OF mer in con
gress. irrespective Of party affilia
lions than is the thought OF the pay
ment OF money,
Why is the senate OF the United
States likely to refuse TO apologize
in the name OF this country to the
Colombians? There are plenty o!
Democrats in the senate who would
like to join with Mr.. Bryan and Mr.
Haunis Taylor in making an apology
were it not for the fact that ever
since this government recognized the
independence of Panama and thereby
offended the Colombians, Democrats
in congress have been voting for leg.
islation based on the very act OF rec
ognition. The majority In congress
seemingly would make scores of its
members ridiculous if it should vote
TO give the Colombians a cent and
they might stultify themselves II they
should vote to tender an apology.