Omaha daily bee., 1915-10-29

mitted by the demurrer would not have
constituted an unreasonable restraint OF
trade, and the combination complained
OF would not have boon illegal. Five Of
the justices declared that the act wAs
intended to metamorphose the common
law, and must be construed literally
though the heavens fall; and OF course,
the majority ruled This ruling. In my
humble opinion, and with all Difference.
was one OF the few colossal bunders
ever committed by the great tribunals
for taken literally, the Sherman act IL
a blight on enterprise-a manufacturer
| OF crimes without turpitude--a remedy
worse than any disease II was supposed
to palllate. But the act thus inter
preted was seized upon by certain pa
triots and purists to attack the great
business interests OF our country; 20
unscrnmble eggs-with what culinary ef-
feet you are al familiar. Merchants
| by the Wholesale, fearful OF a cataclysm,
hastened to plead nolo contendere TO In
dictments against them. No merchant
dare speak with his enemy in the gate,
or obey the scripulral injunction to agree
! with his adversary quickly. much less
deliberately. lest he be found guilty OF
a conspiracy and branded ms an outlaw.
Making the Good had.
do you believe the American mer-
chants of today are more wicked by
nature than tho English merchants hon
ored by Lord Mansfield's confidence3
DO you believe that tho ipse dixit of
legislature can nuke q good man bad?
Aren't you tired OF statutory crimesH
| Would you not like 10 see some great
American, who looms big in public life.
stand forth before oil the people and
shake his fist In their faces, calling them
ingrates and GROWERS, unworthy OF their
blessings, reaping today only what they
have sown in Ignorance and anger1
Would you not like to see him raise
his face to heaven md thank God for
the matchless boon OF American citiSen-
ship under the constitution given us by
our fathers?
Aren't you tired OF muckrakers and
bellyachers and the caterwaul OF malcon-
tents who are forever scrceching In our
cars tho words OF Richard II:
Let's telk Of graves, OF worms and
Mako dust our paper, and with rainy
| eyes
Write sorrow on tho bosom Of the earth
III they would only add tho rest Of the
sentence now, Let's choose executors and
talk OF Wills wouldn't we almost for
give them.
Gentlemen, the sentiments have ut
tered here tonight were recently ex-
pressed by me at meeting OF the Chi
caFo Commercial club in almost identical
language. The Chi,ago Tribune called
them 'reactionnry Lord. how these
newspape rs pounce on word and worry
1t to a frazzle! 'Reactionary. progress
al,
million times ald even now have only
tho vaguest nosion OF what Is meant by
them. II has been said TINT the republican
party, for the last few years. has been
trying TO stand pat on one leg and prog
ress with the other-n sort OF fusion 81
the tango ana the minuct that results
only In confusion--with the accent on the
con True progress. | take it. must be
defined not IN terms OF motion. but Of
betterment. TO advance from one posi-
ton TO a better position from a given
condition 10 a better condition. may truly
be called progress. Every man believes IN
thAt-it Is not necessary TO label him,
In principle, therefore, we arc all pro-
grossives. But your political species-your
simon-pure artiole-your progressive with
a big p wants change Just TO zoe
what VIII como OF II. He had rather leap
in the dark than not TO leap at all. lie
would tinker the machinery OF govern
ment Just az a mischievous boy would
tinker the machinery OF a clock-the
Same Juvenile curiosity, the same as
surance Of ignorance, the same reckless
ness OF results
what n PrORFeaSiyef
To-day the man who flouts our consti.
tuition as a monument 10 the greed
rapaoity and even fraud OF our fore
fathers-think OF itl-and a handicap &C
the progress OF the peopie-think Of IT,
calls himself a progressive Today II q
man refuses TO Join In lambasting ouI
supreme court (that unique and precious
feature OF our autonomy. he is called q
'reactionary,' I call that man a patriot
whose services In behalf OF ordered lib
erty were never more needed than at THU
very hour.
And yet such men as these must know
for everybody knows. that from the dawT
OF history TO the advent OF Washington
and his compatriots the people had lived
In spasmodic rebellion against the tyranny
OF a despot, or the savagery OF a mob
Liberty had been a torch carried I'm the
wind-lighted. extinguished. relighted
snuffed out-again and asain-always 4