aL-.'Sl
The Commoner.
A Washington dispatch to the Chicago Tri
bune under date of July 2, refers to the speech de
Aug. 8, 190a
Rear Admiral Crownlnshleld presided at the
Aa
Interesting
Inquiry.
iqulry concerning the grounding of the battle
ship Illinois, which was Crown
inshiold's flagship. The result
was that Rear Admiral Crown
inshleld absolved himself from
all blame in connection with tho
.affair. Then Rear Admiral Crowninshield pro-
3ded to approve the verdict of the court of in-
inlnr. ThAHo thlncH nromnt the Utica Observer to
Bay that "he will be voting himself a medal next
ling you know."
T-n Tii Rnponh from t.hn bench after sentonc-
flng certain labor leaders to jail, Federal Judgo
Jackson of Parkersburg, W. va.r
referred to labor organizers as
"vampires that live and fatten
on the honest labor of the coal
miners of the country." One
may search this judge's speech in vain to discover
any reference other than a complimentary one to
'tho coal barons who not only fatten on the honest
labor of the coal minere, but' who grow rich
through their impositions upon the coal consum
ers of the country.
Something
About
"Vampires."
Big
Constabulary
Force.
Babcock
.Now Reverses
Babcock.
A cablegram from Manila, under date of July
22, refers to a conflict between the "constabulary"
and the Filipinos. Twelve hun
dred men under command of
Captain Baker comprised thi3
"constabulary." The word "con
stabulary" is a strange one to
Americans. It is a familiar word in Ireland, but
even there the constabulary is not so strong in"
numbers as the "constabulary" of the Philippines.
One is inclined to suspect that after all the war
Is not ended, and that the 1,200 "constabulary" was
in fact a body of regular soldiers.
Congressman Babcock, chairman of the re
publican congressional committee, Bays that the
republicans will cheerfully wel
come a contest with the demo
crats with the tariff as an issue.
Mr. Babcock is the gentleman
who, prior to the last session of
congress, insisted that the tariff should be re
moved from trust-made products. For some time
Mr. Babcock occupied a conspicuous place in the
newspaper dispatches. He said he was determined
to accomplish his purpose in this matter because
it was in the interest of the people, but for some
reason unknown to the public Mr. Babcock sud
denly lost interest in the proposition, and now he
declares that he would be very glad to meet the
democrats on this issue; in other words, he would
bfe very glad to dispute the very proposition-which
during a considerable period of time, he main
tained was distinctly in the public interest.
The New York World announces that it has
the best authority for stating that President
Roosevelt expects to be nomi
nated in 1904 by acclamation.
According to the information
received by the World, Mr.
Roosevelt expects the support of
Senator Hanna, Governor Odell, Senator Piatt, and
Senator Quay. If there were no reason for doubt
ing the administration's sincerity in its professed
attack upon the trusts, the very fact that at this
moment Mr. Roosevelt has good grounds for be
lieving that he may be renominated without op
position would justify the suspicion that the trust
magnates are satisfied with the Roosevelt admin
istration. Does any one believe that the powerful
influences that have manipulated the republican
party to the advantage of the trust system would
permit Mr. Roosevelt to be nominated by acclama
tion If the ixust magnates -had- any grievances
against the -president. - ,
Roosevelt
by
Acclamation.
I
Little
Hope for
Peace.
livered by Major Edwin F.
Glenn during the Glonn court
martial proceedings. Glonn was
charged with administering the
'water cure, and in his speech
before the court-martial, Major Glenn said: "As
to conditions, I found soon after my arrival in
Panay that every man's hand was against us
and that every man, woman, and child in the isl
and was an eilemy, and in my best judgment they
are today and always will bo." This is somowhat
Inconsistent with the statements made l)y repub
licans. If Major Glenn is to be believed, and
he certainly must know what he is talking about,
every man, woman, and child in the Philippines
is an enemy. They are enemies today and "they
will always be enemies."
tt&&
The Pittsburg Dispatch makes an interesting
point when it says: "It has been declared on the
floor of the senate by some of the
Concerning anti-reciprocity senators that it
iftr. McKlnley's is next door to sacrilege to critl
Pollcies. else President McKinloy's deci
sion on any subject Yet where
the large profits of a special clique are threatened
with a little diminution the same men flatly re
pudiate President McKlnley's declaration and his
official pledges." Many people have observed that
the republican leaders while claiming for them
selves the right of repudiating Mr. McKlnley's
opinions and policies whenever the interest of the
trusts require such repudiation, are very quick to
brand as "traitors" any who object to other poli
cies to which Mr. McKinley was devoted. If,
however, the republicans may repudiate such poli
cies of Mr. McKinley as do .not happen to suit
the present day notions of republican leaders, why
may not the democrat who never claimed Mr. Mc
Kinley as a leader oppose, with all possible vigor,
Mr. McKlnley's policies without being subjected to
the charge of treason?
vws
"Will new laws enforce themselves?" is an in
teresting question submitted by the New York
World to President Roosevelt
Are no and Congressman Littlefield. The
Self-Enforcing World says: "The existing anti
Laws, trust laws provide heavy fines
and terms of imprisonment for
men wh'o organize to monopolize trade either by a
trust 'or otherwise,' and lor any railroad official
who gives rebates or makes discriminating freight
charges. But not one man has ever been indicted
under those laws, though sworn proof that hun
dreds of men have violated them has been spread
before the public time and time again. Will new
laws work any better with the same sort of 'en
forcement?'" In his speech at Pittsburg Mr.
Roosevelt said that more important than the en
actment of new laws "we need an honest and
fearless administration of the laws as they are
on the statute books." The administration has
failed to enforce the criminal clause of the anti
trust law. Will Congressman Llttlefield's pro
posed law enforce itself, or will the administra
tion agents enforce it in the same spirit with which
they "enforce" existing laws?
It must be evident to every one that the very
large majority of American petTple are in favor
of the election of senators by
popular vote. Republicans, dem
ocrats and populists very gen
erally stand together on this
proposition and yet the United
rejected this amendment.
An explanation for this "stubborn opposition is
provided by the New York Journal. The amend
ment is opposed "because the predatory wealth
of the. country- fearsiit," The Journal-hits the-nail
squarely on the head-when it says: "All the
Trust
Magnates
Oppose it.
States senate
There Is the
Criminal
Clause.
General Knox. Tills
says that theso two
lawyers, Knox and
"pointod out to the
trusts are against the amendment. All tho men
of money who are In the onjoyment of special
privileges llko tho Illegally banded railroad own
ers of the coal trust, tho monopolists of tho food
trust, tho freebooters of tho Standard Oil trust
and tho tarlff-fatteued millionaires of tho sugar
trustfight against tho innovation. The more
power tho people havo, tho larger thoir direct
share in tho government, tho harder It will bo
for 'captains of industry' to procure and rotaln
tho special privileges which bring thorn most of
their colossal rovonues. What they dread is legis
lation by the people for all thp people, Instead of
legislation for'somo of tho people."
A Washington dispatch to the Chicago Record
Herald speaks of a conference between Mr. Roose
velt and Sonator Snooner and
Attorney
dispatch
eminent
Spooner,
president some of the difficulties, tho almop.t In
surmountable difficulties which stand in the- way
of a prosecution of tho trust system." If thp
president seriously intends to make a campaign
against the trusts, what heneeds is a consultation
with eminent lawyers who will show him the way
to prosecution rather than to point out tho "In
surmountable obstacles." Thero are thousands of
lawyers in this country today, and Indeed thou
sands of men who are not lawyers, who could glvn
Mr. Roosevelt some valuable information on this
subject. Theso would suggest to him that Instead
of considering the "insurmountable obstacles," he
might at least try the experiment of enforcing the
criminal clause of the anti-trust law. After the
criminal prosecutlonexporlment has failed, It will
then be time enough to talk about "Insurmount
able obstacles." A great many people aro begin
ning to suspect that tho reason criminal prosecu
tion is not resorted to is that there is g'reat prob
ability that criminal prosecution would be suc
cessful, and would land the$ conspirators' ber
hind the prison bars.
CV5-
Walter Wellman, the Washington correspon
dent of tho Chicago Record-Herald, has been mak
ing an investigation in the
Evidence anthracite region and In a dls
Not patch to his paper Mr. Well-
Lacking, man says: "There is a coal
trust. It has created a.
monopoly In the anthracite business. It is
operating in restraint of interstate commerce.
It is violating tho federal law.
President Roosevelt and Attorney General
Knox have said that they are not hunting for
trusts to prosecute, because they do not caro
to go into a wholesale business in this line.
They have also said they do not care to em
bark in any more trust prosecutions unless it
be in instances where the law is not only be
ing violated, but such violations are working
injury to the public through the suppression of
competition, the creation of a monopoly and ,
the Imposition of unnecessary high prices
upon consumers.
All these conditions are found in the an
thracite coal trust, and found in most flagrant
form " ,, -
The president and the attorney general
have further said they could not move against
the coal trust in the absence of complaints.
'Let this serve as a complaint. I file It at the
White house and the department of justice.
The same thing has been said before by news
papers, by public men, and by others after in
vestigation. In fact,, Mr. Roosevelt and his at
torney general undoubtedly know, without being
told by Mr. Wellman, that there is a coal trust
While every one hopes that the president and his
attorney general may act with respect to the coal
trust it is very doubtful whether any prosecution
along these lines would be fruitful when the
prosecutors must be dragged into the fight and
when, they have clearly shown, their disinclination
to '.' hunt .for trusts to, prosecute.," .
fl