Trusts, Industrial

All kinds of advice

A harried-looking Alton B. Parker sits at a desk and tries to write as several megaphones with the titles of various newspapers shout at him. The “Brooklyn Eagle” says, “Hold to the Philippines.” The “N.Y. American” says, “Down with Belmont and trusts.” The “N.Y. Times” says, “Hold the Philippines. Hold everything.” The “N.Y. World” says, “Scuttle. Abandon Philippines. Give up. Scuttle.” The “N.Y. Post” says, “Come out for free trade.” Another megaphone says, “Down with the South.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-11

Mr. Roosevelt’s compliments to the Democratic party

President Roosevelt, with a sign reading “Roosevelt, phrenologist” behind him, stands while feeling Dame Democracy’s head. On the wall is a picture of a man with dollar signs on his head and the title of “trust.”  Caption: It is difficult to find out from our opponents what are the real issues upon which they propose to wage this campaign.—Roosevelt’s letter of acceptance.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-12

The great American retreat

“The trusts” marches forward while holding a gun with bayonet fixed as he follows a trail of footprints and dropped weapons and clothing, including pince-nez glasses. President Roosevelt hides behind a rock and holds a sign that reads, “I surrender.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-12

Vacation’s over

President Roosevelt arrives at the “New Union Station, Washington,” along with William Loeb. The latter is carrying Roosevelt’s “Big Stick,” on which is hanging a cage enclosing the dove of “Peace.” He also bears a shovel labeled “Panama Troubles,” a bag full of “Mistakes,” “Slips,” “Errors,” and “Department Scandals,” and a rifle. The new station, in the background, is the United States Capitol, with a “Tariff Wall” and a large man labeled “The Trusts Stand Pat” atop the dome.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-10-01

A proposed amendment to the federal anti-trust law

John R. Dos Passos proposes an amendment to the current federal anti-trust law. Major changes he proposes include that the trust must be detrimental to the public, and that the decision of whether a trust was detrimental would be made by a jury, rather than only by a judge.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-01

Letter from Charles J. Bonaparte to Theodore Roosevelt

Attorney General Bonaparte forwards a letter to President Roosevelt. It raises the question of whether it is advisable to recommend any modifications to the Sherman Anti-Trust Law or the Interstate Commerce Law at the present session of Congress, and how such modifications should be framed. Both the government and trusts want changes made to the existing laws, but the kinds of changes they desire are very different. Bonaparte concludes that it will not be possible to come to an agreement with the trusts about how the laws should be modified.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-02

Edwin S. Conway in the Role of Patriot and Prophet

Edwin S. Conway, vice-president of the W. W. Kimball Co., reflects on exposures of graft and corruption that have recently happened in the United States, his view of great industrial trusts and their effect on morality, and how to improve conditions in the country.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-30

Roosevelt strikes the nail on the head

The Enquirer praises President Roosevelt’s recent speech condemning “the great and sinister moneyed interests,” and writes that in addition to breaking off ties to the Standard Oil Company the Republican party should sever ties with other trusts as well. The article further calls for the Chairmen of both parties to transparently publish receipts and expenditures from all national and state committees to show where donations are coming from. A following article praises William Randolph Hearst for showing the necessity of an Independence party by showing the sorts of relations the Republicans and Democrats have to corporations.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-10-01

Court enjoins Judge Grosscup

An injunction was issued by Judge John B. Wilkinson, of Huntington, West Virginia, restraining the Triple State Gas Company from merging with the United States Natural Gas company, which would have monopolized the natural gas supply of West Virginia and eastern Ohio. The injunction affects Judge Peter Stenger Grosscup, who was named to the board of the United States Natural Gas company. However, Grosscup is well known for his writings against monopolies.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-02-18

Judge Grosscup takes his own medicine

An injunction was issued by Judge John B. Wilkinson, of Huntington, West Virginia, restraining the Triple State Gas Company from merging with the United States Natural Gas company, which would have monopolized the natural gas supply of West Virginia and eastern Ohio. The injunction affects Judge Peter Stenger Grosscup, who was named to the board of the United States Natural Gas company. Grosscup, who is is well known for his writings against monopolies, “will at least know how the defendant feels” the next time he issues an injunction against monopoly.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-02-18

Address by Dr. Schurman

In excerpts from his speech, Jacob Gould Schurman discusses concerns with large corporations and ways to make competition fairer. He believes the solution is not socialism. Rather, he suggests the public should abolish special privileges to corporations. Schurman is glad President Roosevelt mentioned this issue in his annual message and agrees with his suggestion of giving the Interstate Commerce Commission more power. In addition, Schurman suggests other policies for reform, including an income tax and changes to the tariff and the Philippine policy. Schurman looks forward to when the Philippines will have an independent republican government.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-20

Fragment of a resolution concerning the smoke nuisance in the District of Columbia

This fragment is from New York Representative Robert Baker’s resolution in the United States House of Representatives to discuss the “smoke nuisance” in Washington, D.C., which President Roosevelt has currently taken up with his cabinet members. The resolution suggests, however, that the industrial trusts are of greater concern than the smoke situation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-04

Hughes’ reply to Bryan

A compiled publication that features Governor of New York Charles Evans Hughes’s full speech highlights, select sentences of importance, and supporting quotations from other politicians. In his speech, Hughes outlines the Republican Party’s successes in promoting the nation’s welfare. William H. Taft is a highly qualified candidate who will prevent injustices and ensure continued progress. Democrat candidate William Jennings Bryan’s unsuccessful 1896 campaign illustrates not only his failures but those of his party.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-05

Note about Harry B. Kirtland and ice trust prosecution

The matter of the ice trust prosecution in Toledo, Ohio, referenced by Harry B. Kirtland has been referred to the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-16

An open letter

Milton B. Goodkind writes that he was skeptical about Theodore Roosevelt being president following the 1904 election due to his belief that Roosevelt’s anti-trust program would rebound and impact the lives of the common people. Now that this has happened, the people who are most affected blame Roosevelt for the economic conditions they are suffering. Goodkind suggests that the reforms that Roosevelt has been instituting need to happen sooner or later, but that by insisting they happen now, the public may take their anger out on Roosevelt instead of the trusts, at whom their wrath and indignation should be directed.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-21

An act to regulate commerce among the several states or with foreign nations, and to secure publicity of certain contracts concerning such commerce

This act states that corporations must file contracts affecting interstate or international trade with the Interstate Commerce Commission, which then has the ability to determine if those contracts represent an unreasonable restraint of trade. The commission will also create an index of such contracts, as well as the companies, which will be available to the public. Companies will also be required to periodically update the information they have on file with the Commissioner of Corporations.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-06

Editorial regarding the Election of 1908

Draft of an editorial describing a meeting between Frederick Morgan Davenport, a professor at Hamilton College, and Secretary of War William H. Taft. Davenport compares the current political and economic climate with that in 1812, with the patriotic and commercial interests at cross-purposes. The author trusts that the popular interests will prevail over the commercial ones, and goes on to relay Davenport’s thoughts on the election chances of both Taft and New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-13

Commissioner Smith vs. the Standard Oil Co.

This newspaper article examines President of the Standard Oil Company in Indiana James A. Moffett’s defense of the company’s actions in Illinois as well as Commissioner Herbert K. Knox’s rebuttal. The author believes that Moffett’s defense was not disproved by Knox and thinks a higher court will rule in this manner.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-17

Statement by Henry W. Taft

Henry W. Taft believes there is no adequate foundation for a statement made by Alton B. Parker that the common law can serve as a legal remedy against trusts and monopolies. Taft maintains that it is necessary for laws restricting monopolies to come from the federal level in order to appropriately apply criminal penalties and work at a national scale. Taft also quotes extensively from three letters by Thomas Jefferson to show that Jefferson, the founder of the Democratic party, opposed the common law being applied at a national scale.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-30

A fault of manner

President Roosevelt acts and speaks carefully concerning his enforcement of laws affecting corporations and industries. Therefore, he is likely not pleased “by the tone of recent allusions emanating from the Department of Justice to its possible future activities,” especially those remarks attributed to Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-15