Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1914-01-28

IL is thought here that the Democrats
believe they can develop this Progress
sive plan so slowly as 70 take away
whatever capital the Prosressives
may try to make out OF the admins
trations apparent conversion 20 one OF
their policies. Already the Progress
sives of the country are saying that
President Wilson has begun TO steal
some OF their thunder
Making the Guilt Personal
Today the leaders in congress are
still comforting on the matter OF
strengthening antitrust legislation 80
as to make II certain that guilt can
be made personal When Theodore
Roosevelt was president of the United
States he was credited with saying
that dozens OF managers, saperintend-
ents. head bookkeepers and other jun
Tors in big corporations could be put
into Jail for violation OF the antitrust
laws. but that II 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
lieved to be conducting business In
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
the Willingness OF the big men so 10
arrange things that the responsibility
should fall on their subordinates, who
would have to go to prison IL any
body went
Now what the Democrats are trying
TO do is TO make the law 30 strong
that there will be n 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 II has
not been susceptible OF proof
Colombian Treaty Not Liked.
Day by day the belief is grow.
ing stronger I'm Washington that
the United States senate will refuse
TO ratify the treaty with the Co
lombian government that the state
department has prepared containing
provision for the payment TO the
Colombians OF $25.000.000 for their
lOgq NJ panafnn RnI
paragraph OF apology from this gov
eminent for having recognized the in
dependence of Panama over night"
1t Will be remembered by most peo-
pie that during the Roosevelt admin
istration, when we were trying To Sc
cure right OF way across the isthmus
for the great lnteroceanic canal, the
people OF the state OF Panama, which
was a part OF the country OF Colon
bia, declared their independence,
which was instantly recognized by the
United States. Some people have held
that the revolt OF the Panamanians
from Colombian rule and our instant
recognition of their status as an in
dependent government were part OF a
put up job and that consequently We
owed the Colombian government not
only money but an apology because
we made the Panamanians independ-
ence certain by our act OF recognition.
Hannis Taylor who is acting as
counsel for the Colombian govern
ment is urging that the United
States not only shall agree to pay Into
the treasury OF the South American
country the sum OF S25, 000.O 900 for the
Panama strip, but shall further soothe
It's wounded feelings by humble apol-
ogy for an act OF the Roosevelt ad-
ministration. indorsed 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.
5aIk 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
Of affection. IL will take a lot of
pleading. however, to get these men
to vote a gift OF S25, 900 900 to the
Colombian people as payment for
something which many Americans
think did not belong TO them. IL can
be said that from all appearances the
suggestion OF an apology is more re-
pugnant 20 the majority OF men in con
gress. irrespective OF party afllia-
lions than is the thought OF the pay
ment Of money.
Men here who have known William
Jennings Bryan personally always
have maintained that his standards Of
morality were untouched by hipoc-
risy Mr.. Bryan, however, may have
had his own angle Of vision when he
contemplated this Colombian indem-
nifty matter. Men who have made a
study OF the whole matter. and some
Of them are Democrats and senator's.