Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 60, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 October 1912 — STEELTRUST BACK OF T. R. TRUST PLAN [ARTICLE]

STEELTRUST BACK OF T. R. TRUST PLAN

Charge Chal enged, Gov. Wilson Returns With Prompt and Convincing Answer.

COUNTRY WAITED FOR CLASH.

Wondered if It Was to Produce a Parallel of Parker Episode—More Proof if It Is Wanted. When the country read on the morning of Ort. s the charge of Woodrow Wilson before his audiences in Color ado that the steel trust is back of the Roosevelt program of trust regulation and in the same papers Colonel Roosevelt’s demand for proof of the assertion it sat up and took notice. Would this produce a parallel of the famous episode of the 1904 campaign, when the colonel called Judge Parker a liar for asserting (what has been so recently proved! that the corporations were contributing to the Roosevelt campaign ?

There was eager waiting for Governor Wilson’s answer. It came promptly the next day in his speech at Kansas City. Concisely, convincingly and dispassionately Governor Wilson met the Roosevelt challenge, and should the controversy be pressed further the Democratic candidate will give the bull moose all he wants, for the corroboration whereof he spoke is abundant. Wilson’s Charge. At Pueblo, the center of the western steel industry. Governor Wilson said: “Evidence of what 1 am about to say comes to me by way of corroboration every day in forms that I cannot question. It is a very interesting circum stance that the United States Steel corporation is behind the third party program with regard to the regulation of the trusts.

“Now, 1 do not say that to prejudice you. 1 am perfectly ready to admit that the officers of that corporation may think that the third party is the best thing for the United States. That is not my point My point is that these gentlemen have grown up in the atmos phere of the things they themselves have created and that the laws of the United States so far have attempted to destroy the things that they have created and that they now want a government which will perpetuate the things they have created. “You therefore have to choose noiv a government such as the Unjted States Steel corporation thinks the United States ought to have or a government such as we used to have before these gentlemen succeeded in setting up private monopoly.”'

Roosevelt’s Challenge. The same (light at Albany. N, Y„ Cdlbnel Roosevelt upon reading reports of Governor Wilson’s speech said: ’ As far as I know the statement has not the slightest foundation in fact. Mr. Wilson has no business to make such a statement unless he has the proof, and if he has any proof I de mand that he make it public immediately. If he has not let him retract his statement as the only manly and honorable thing to do.” Wilson’s “Retort Courteous.” The next night Governor Wilson made this reply before the great audience that greeted him in Kansas City: “I understand from the newspaper reports that Mr Roosevelt was dis tressed by my suggestion the other day

that the United States >teei corporation was back, of his plan for controlling the trusts. He interpreted my remark to menu that they were supporting' him with their money 1 was not thinking about money “I do not know whether they are supporting him with their money or not. It does not make any difference. What I meant was that they are supporting him with their thought, and their thought is not our thought. 1 meant, and I say again, that the kind of control which he proposes is the kind of control that the United States Steel corporation wants “1 am perfectly willing to admit that they think it is the best for the country. My point is that this is a method conceived from the point of view of the very men who are to be controlled and that that is just the wrong point of view r from which to conceive it. “If Mr. Rooseveit is willing to have Mr. Perkins suggest how the corporations ought to be regulated why will he not be willing to take suggestions from the same quarters as to the details of the regulation? Mark you, ladies and gentlemen, I am not discussing individuals. I know Mr. George Perkins. I have no quarrel with anything except his judgment He does not look at these things in the waj men who do not wish to accustom their minds to monopoly look at them.”

There should be an immediate revision of the tariff downward. It should begin with the schedules most obviously used to kill competition and raise prices in the United States, and should be extended to every item which affords opportunity for monopoly and special advantage until special favors shall have been absolutely withdrawn and our laws of taxation transformed from a system of governmental patronage into a system of just and reasonable charges which shall fall where they will create the least burden.