West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-04-08

49, ." eSs>sA<08 AA4W1W VII
In his Philadelphia speech Elihu
Root declared that ''the men who con-
troll the government today are the men
who have been fighting the tariff and
the trusts and the railroads 30 long
that when they come to administer the
government they cannot rid themselves
OF an underlying hostility to American
enterprise"
Is this true. or is Il mere assertion?
So far as the tarifr is concerned.
the Democratic revision Of 1913 was
about what the Republican revision of
1908 was expected to be. 1t was not
radical 1t was not more radical re-
vision than the Republicans themsel-
yes had promised in the 1908 cam
paign' Nor did It indicate hostility to
business. for the agricultural schea-
uies were reduced in greater degree
than the manufacturing schedules.
Therc was no hostility to business IN
this revision OF the tariff unless every
revision that reduces rates of dptv
must be interpreted as hostile 70 bust
ness.
AS for the trusts. there has been ON
adverse legislation against them under
the Wilson administration. The only
legislation enacted was adopted at the
request OF the business interests them
selves to clarity the law. There has
been less trust prosecution under the
Wilson administration than under the
Tart administration. There has been
less political agitation against trusts
and corporations since Mr.. Wilson be-
came president than at any time since
the sherman law was enacted I'm 1890.
AS TO the railroads, all the restric-
tive legislation now on the Federa,
statute books was adopted by Republi-
can congresses. The only important
action affecting railroads which has
been taken since Mr.. Wilson became
president was the granting of permits
sion 10 increase their freight and pas
senger rates. The ruling of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission I'm this in
stance was favored not only by the ad-
ministration but by the American peo-
pie as a whole.
AS TO finance. the only constructive
measure enacted by the United States
government since the Civil War 10 tho
new banking and currency laws under
which the United States has been able
TO weather the financial storms of the
most disastrous war in history with
out the shadow of panic. Even Mr..
| Bryan, who led the free-silver crusade
In 1896, used all his influence to mt
this great measure on the statute
books.
| Where is the hostility Of which Mr..
Root speaks? Where, for that matter
is there any general hostility toward
business. such as that which ragged
during the Cleveland administration
and was erected into the form of a DO
| htical religion under the Roosevelt adj
ministration? Where is there a demo-
sition In the states or In the nation IN
harass or prosecute legitimate business
OF any kind, big or little?
What, then, is business afraid of?
| We do not know and we cannot even
surmise. Not in twenty years has Il
had so little to fear from government
| Not In twenty years has IL known so
| clearly what was expected of ii under
the law. What more can 1t ask?
The gerat weakness of American
business at this time is the great
weakness of Mr.. Root himself. 1t re-
fuses to trust the people. Mr.. Root re-
tired from the Senate because, as It is
generally believed. he was afraid to
submit his candidacy to popular vote,
yet he would have been reelected by
an overwhelming majority. Business
| seems to be in much the same state Of
| mind as Mr.. Root, and for the same
| reason. 1t is afraid to trust the peo-
| pie because II is ignorant of popular
opinion and suspicious of popular good
| faith.
That Is madness. The government
| OF the United States is not hostile to
business. The people of the United
States are not hostile to business. II
| business cannot see these plain, un-
mistakable facts, then business is blind
and ignorant and weak witted-New
| York World.