The Holly chieftain., 1914-09-11

the businessmen OF the country. The
motives OF the muckrakers and the
motives Of the professional asitstors were
purely mercensry; it was Q chance for
eraft-s new way to make easy money
When public opinion, which is strangely
susceptible to vsearies and often purblind,
had grown hystericsI over the ALLEGED
abuses Of capital-and public opinion
never in the least considered the splendid,
energetic prosperity Of the nstion-then
uprose the oficeseekers, the polite ians,
the demaGosues.
These parasites on the body polite con-
tinued the work of the muckrakers and
frequently equaled the Socialists in the
vehemence of preposterous CHARGES, and
did appropriate great quantity Of Social.
istic fads which were offered to the nation
as remedies for the "evil" Of capita lism.
Then BEGAN the orgy of legislative reform.
Politicians had commissions established
to tell fnanciers how to run their busi-
ness, and then had themselves appointed
on these commissions. OHicious attor.
neys, unable to make living in the pub
lie forum, secured political appointments
and began consistent, harassint attack
on capitalists. 1t seemed to be the object
Of these political shysters to put as many
millionsires as possible in Jail. Techni-
4. -
ment when palpsble justice would have
assured an acquittal. New laws were
made for the avowed purpose of making
criminals of 6nsnciers. Rut the lesisla.
live madness took other taneents. Even
the dignity of our courts was not respected
and such things as the 'recall and the
referendum" were established whereby
the public was privileged to vote, if they
saw fit, on the justice ofa courts decision.
The mob was allowed to invade the sane
tuary of the law and to carry a club-the
power to recall the jurists failing to decide
cases to please it. The demasosoues
we're determined that little thing like
justice should not interfere with sending
milIionsires to jail. If judges were on the
bench who would not give judgment to
suit the demagoeue and his mob, then
judges would be jerked out Of Office and
judges more easily intimidated placed on
the woolsack. Innumerable other freak
laws were made, even good laws were
twisted and distorted to give demaeosues
greater power, greater opportunity to
appoint friends to "soft" jobs.
But that is not all. Recently q socia.
logical and legal student disclosed the fact
that the legislative reform fad in the
United States had reached such folly that
businessmen may now be found guilty of
seventeen "crimes" that are not recog-
nized even as ofenses by any other laws
in any other nation in the world. The
businessman does not know but that to-
morrow he will be found guilty of "crime"
for doing the same thing which is perfectly
LEGAL today. Financiers dare not invest
their capital lest the next Congress or
State legislature declare them criminals,
though they may be operating legally under
present lsws. Right now in Congress are
a number of so.called "trust.busting"
laws which make it criminal, punishable
by imprisonment, for businessmen to con-
duct their affairs as every other nation in
the world allows its businessmen to con.
duct their business. There is every reason
to believe that those "trust-bustin&"
bills wills will he passed, as they are
part of the Democratic programmes, and
are put forward by the President. II
SO, a trade commission, composed Of pol