Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-21
ROOSEVELT, TRUST FOE,
MAY SEEK PRESIDENCY
New York Governor, Building Up Anti
Power Background, Reported Groom
ing to Lead Democrats in 1892.


dition. he is much too intelligent to
think this kind of political move really
smart. It's very obviousness would de-
feat its purpose. Those who know Mr..
Young best have no idea he will adopt
this course or any other designed to
promote himself. None the less, they
agree II power and public utilities be-
come real political issue in 1882 Mr..
Young's chances will not be enhanced
He is hardly in a position to inveigh
against the threat of giant mergers
against which Mr. Roosevelt inveighs
so freely, and against which any Demo-
cratic candidate who takes up the
issue would naturally have to inveigh
Mr. Young would probably be better
equipped as President to deal with the
power problem from the public point
of view than any other but as a candi-
date the General Electric connection
would not be helpful. Perhaps this
ought not to be so, but it would be-"
Clearly the emergence Of the power
trust" issue eliminates Mr.. Young. It
may be pity, but it is fact. With
power" an issue. Gov. Roosevelt has.
Protests New Feudalism."
Mr.. Roosevelt as governor Of the
largest State in the Union has the
opportunity to achieve leadership on
the power question. He has similar OPP
portunity to achieve leadership on the
trust question.
Gov. Roosevelt's July speech was
in the spirit and in substantially the
Identical terms of the antitrust po-
litical crusade of 20 years ago He
protested against new feudaltsm" of
industrial control He issued a call for
a new declaration of independence
independence in America from big bust
ness domination of Government.
Are We endangered, he said, "of the
highly centralized industrial control
that We may have to bring forth new
declaration of independence"
1t Is commonly assumed that trusts"
mergers and the like are solely a ma
tional question. that they can only be
prevented by national legislation. and
only dissolved by the Federal courts.
This assumption is incorrect.
Mr.. Roosevelt, through his ONCE of
Governor of New York. has adequate
leverage with which to break trusts,
to make the trust question political
issue and to make himself a national
figure. The trusts were State question
long before they were national one.
All the early prosecutions against the
Standard Oil trust, and the early po-
litical agitation about it. were begun by
the attorney general of Ohio and by
officials of other States many years be-
fore the Federal Government took notice
of the question. The late Senator La
Toilette kept the trust question an6
the railroad question to the front in
Wisconsin long enough to make him.
self governor and United States SEN
ator-before ever the Federal Govern
ment began the energetic prosecution
of trusts and the energetic regulation
Of railroads.
York. has the power to initiate the
breaking of trusts. the busting" of mer-
gers. And he has the mergers right
there in New York to break. AS it hap
pens, some of the largest mergers that
have been made recently have been
made in New York State-mergers of
banks, of institutions associated with
banks, of industrial corporations. One
of the great mergers recently effected
in New York was of public utility cor
porations. These two questions-mer-
gers and power-are related, and the
two combine to compose a remarkable
political issue. Rarely has there been
such a fortuitous condition for any
Presidential aspirant as the one that
favors Gov. Roosevelt
Has Effected Farm Relief.
It isn't necessary to say Gov Roose-
welt is exploiting power" and mergers"
in order to get the Democratic presi-
dental nomination. To say so would be
untrue and unjust. The issues are there
and it happens that Gov. Roosevelt has
an extraordinarily fortuitous relation
to them.
Nor do these two complete the list of
Gov. Roosevelt's assets. He of his per-
sonal initiative has brought about re-
lief of the farmers of New York State
from much Of their unjust burden of
taxation. That kind of farm relief ought
to be brought about in nearly every
State in the Union. It is certain to
come in many States. Gov. Roosevelt'S
plan. already achieved and in effect, will
provide the model.
There is also the natural asset in
herent in the fact that Mr.. Roosevelt
is Governor of New York. He will come
up for reelection as governor before
the presidential year 1882. 1t is rather
AICCCSSdIy JlIdG VIII
reelection. Probably the Democrats.
not only of New York. but of the whole
Nation. will see the desirability of doing
their best to bring about approval of
Mr.. Roosevelt by the people of his own
State
Rarely has any presidential posi-
bility at period so far ahead Of the
presidential year had SO apparently
clear course toward his partys presi-
dental nomination. OF course. no pru-
dent person would undertake to predict
what may happen during three years.
AS of today, it would seem that Gov
Roosevelt needs hardly no more than
avoid mistakes and be timely in taking
the more or less routine steps that are
called for by the axioms of national
politics. Among other things he needs
to make a few key speeches at points
wisely selected throughout the Nation.
so that the people can become familiar
with him In his new role.