The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-06-25
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(Special COrrespondence)

washing Ou tlc last WCch. OAO WdS
that a large part of the opposition in
congress to the consideration of anti
trust legislation this session was
withdrawn. The other was that a
check came in the flood of kilograms
and letters with which members of
congress have been bombarded by
commercial associations and big bust
ness institutions over the country,
urging that congress adjourn and put
trust legislation off until a future
session.
President Wilson's action in call
ing the bluff of big business in at
tempting to head off trust legislation
was responsible for these two results.
Decided strength was given to the
pending antitrust legislation when
it was shown an organized campaign
had been begun to defeat it. 1t be-
came quite apparent when the presi-
dent published the letters that it was
a very clumsly designed campaign to
discredit the Administrations legis-
lative program In the first place
the letters and kilograms were all
alike. One was sent out by the
Chamber of Commerce of the United
States, which has offices in Washing
ton, and with which most of the COM
mercial associations are affiliated.
These letters, which said that bust
ness wanted a rest and demanded
halt in antitrust legislation, were
adopted in the form of a resolution
by the commercial associations and
sent in deluges to members OF con-
gress. Another letter, different in
phraseology, but in the same strain,
was gotten out by an eastern maya
zine. unfriendly to the administra
ton, and scattered broadcast over
the country among business men.
Many of the big wholesale houses
sent them out in their letters to
smaller town customers. Many OF
them found their way into the press,
which accounts for the general talk
of business depression in the last few
weeks.
Nothing more was needed to sub
stantiate President Wilson's state
ment that if there was depression 1t
was purely of psychological nature.
The president made it very plain that
large business interests were talking
depression in order to influence trust
legislation, and of course they were
standpat statesmen who have been
moving heaven and earth to make 1t
appear that the democratic admins
tration has brought hard times and
lack of business confidence.
Actual facts do not bear out the
contentious of these alarmists. The
middle western wheat crop has
brought calls for 100000 men as har-
vest hands, and a large number OF
these hands were recruited in the
east by the department of labor be-
cause there were not enough Idle
men in the corn and wheat belts to
do the work. Not only is the middle
west promised the biggest crop in
years, but produce remaining on the
farms is finding a ready market at
good prices. Figures just made pub
lie by the Department of Commerce
show exports of breadstuffs, meat
animals and dressed meat were larg-
err during the eleven months under
the new tariff ending with May, 1914,
than they were in the corresponding
months ending with May, 1913, when
the old tariff was in operation. This
is an evidence that the imports OF
this character have not narrowed the
farmers market.
President Wilson takes the posi-
ton that the worst thing that can
happen to business would be to keep
in suspense another year as to trust
legislation. The people have de-
mandcd legislation along the lines
now being considered in congress.
The president is confident. and he
has the support of many real leaders
in the business world in this. that the
trust legislation planned will end the
agitation over the trust question
which has been in progress for more
than a decade With the tariff and
currency question settled and new
trust legislation that will let the bust
ness world know just how 1T stands
w:::l, the government he believes bust
ness viii be able to go forward to ad-
Just itself to present day conditions,
unhamuered by further uncertainty
or further regulatory legislation.
Republican and bull moose mem
bers of congress are supporting the
Wilson antitrust measures. because
they see in them a great stem forward.
The bill preventing inter]ocking d.
rectorates. and combinations and
mergers that stifie competition VIII
hit only the more grasping Of the
trusts and will be benefit to con-
sumer and small producer. The bill
the interstate commerce
to regulate the issue OF
railroad stocks and bonds will pre-
vent the stock watering and stock
scandals which have brought bank
ruptcy to small stockholders and loss
to the public who dug down into !
their pockets for the money to pay |
dividends on this watered stock. The
trade commission bill, which would
clothe a new commission with regu-
latory powers over the industries
shown to be monopolistic in char
acter, exactly as the interstate COM
mission is clothed with powers to
regulate the railroads, would prove
as great a safeguard to the public
as the interstate commerce commits
sion has in its field. There is nothing
revolutionary in this program, but
big business is opposing it, just as
the railroads opposed the legislation
them to submit to govern