Is The Action Sincere?

 IS THE ACTION SINCERE?

Whether anything will be accomplished in the interest of the people by the suits which have been brought by the government against the Northern Securities company and The packers' combination remains to be seen. Of course there are those who do not believe that the administration is in earnest in its right against the money power. There are those who insist that what has been done is but a grand stand play for political gain. Results will have to be depended upon, therefore, to determine upon matter to the satisfaction of many.   But this is a fact that the president is a pretty determined man and is not much given to playing to the gallery. It is not easy, of course, to reconcile his action against the two great trust concerns with the statement given to the country that the recent utterances of Senator Beveridge  before the Indiana republican state convention on the trust question had been submitted to the president and had his approval. It is scarcely likely that such approval was ever given, however. It naturally causes doubt to arise, also, that the head of the republican party, the party of high protection and government favors to the trusts, should take a stand against these great capitalistic concerns, but on the face of the situation that appears to be the fact. There is undoubtedly for such action. When six great packing houses can corner so important an article of food supply as meat and compel the whole people to pay tribute in the sum of  millions of dollars, the time is ripe, it would seem, for the government to take some action if it has any power left.

As strange an action was taken by the government of Sir Robert Peel in England when the party of high protective duties repealed the corn laws. These laws were notoriously in the interests of the land owners and all the efforts of the people for their repeal were resisted for years, but finally a ministry which was called to power to uphold these obnoxious laws repealed them. But in addition to years of agitation, riot and bloodshed were added before this action followed. The American people are most patient and long suffering, but they will not always stand the oppression they are being subjected to by some of the great capitalistic concerns which are operating in restriction of trade and contrary to law. It Would seem that the trusts are now getting about to the point at which it is necessary to make them understand there is a possibility of their going too far, as was the case with the insolent slave barons a generation ago. Probably the president believes action is necessary now before the case grows worse and that selfish greed must be taught the supremacy of the people over their food supply.