Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-06-19
Wilson Says Big Business Tries To
Delay Trust Bills.

A sensation rivaling President Wilson S
remarkable lobby charges of a combine to
defeat the tariff bill was launched by the
President himself on Monday last
he bluntly charged that a combination
OF business interests is behind the agita-
ton to compel Congress to adjourn without
enacting trust legislation. He caused to
be made public correspondence which, he
said, speaks for ITSELF and proves his
contention that the so-called countrywide
business depression is purely psychology
tical."
The correspondence includes a letter
sent out by W. P. Ahnelt. president Of the
Pictorial Review Company, Of New York,
asking its representatives and correspond
ents to send form letters to the President
and leading Legislators demanding that all
proposed legislation be abandoned for the
present.
This correspondence speaks for ITSELF"
was the only comment on the subject the
President would make at this time. He
insisted emphatically. however that this
was only a single instance of the way in
which certain business interests have at
tempted to create opposition to his trust
program and declared that the entire plot
will fail.
The President told his newspaper callers
very plainly just before he made the CORE
spOndence public that he was prepared to
stay in Washington all the summer If
necessary to get his trust program COM
pleted.
The Pictorial Reviews letter, under date
of May 1, to business men, said
Prosperity has been lost somewhere in
this country, owing to the mischievOus &C.
tivities Of the politicians"
Inclosed was a circular letter a nd night
lettereram. which the recipients were asked
TO send to President Wilson, ce-President
Marshall. Attorney General McReynOlds,
Speaker Clark. their Senators and Congress
men and members Of the Interstate Com
merce Commission.
The letter for these officials said
I'VE respectfully appeal to your sense
Of justice, and ask in the name Of the |
suffering American people. in the name of
common sense. why wantonly harass bu
siness at this juncture when il is struggling
for its very existence?
Why throw more thousands Of men idle
when so many families are already starv-
ing2
why subject business TO any expert
mental legislation now. when ii is not
prosperous? Postpone it. Drastic action
on your part is peril at this time. What
we do need is little building up-no more
tearing down. We have had sufficiency
Of experimental legislation for the present
THE granting of the petition of the
Eastern railroads for S per cent. freight
increase will do more for the prosperity
and development Of the country than all
legislation against unlawful restraint and
monOpolies. Such determination will re-
and any contrary determination by the
Interstate Commerce Commission will en-
phasiZe the fact that Washington hostility
is baking prosperity. The merchants of
this country are vitality interested. Bust
ness must not be retarded, otherwise COM
mercial failures will increase The con-
tinual senseless attacks by Governmental
bodies upon merchants by impending as
saults upon railroads. industrial and mer-
camille corporations. revision of the tariff
and currency reform have resulted in sink
ing business to such an extent that il has
thrown hundreds Of thousands out of EN-
ployment. reduced wages and decreased
values in railroad industries and mercan-
tile corporations to the extent of at least
$3.OOO.OOO.OOO
THE most serious situation that con-
fronts the country today is the fact that
unemployment is growing more acute. We
need relief We ask the Congress of the
United States to halt before il is too late
Postpone all anti business legislation. Give
the country rest, and last but not least
permit Congress to earn well-deserved
early rest"
The following night lettergram was also
included to be sent to the officials:
IN view Of unsettled business condi-
tons throughout the nation and the fact
that we are inaugurating a new currency
system, coupled with uncertainty of this
years's crops, il is advisable. we believe.
for Congress to postpone new legislation
affecting the business world until the next
regular session, in December"