第88章

Wilson，afterbeingelectedPresident，withinthefirstfortnightafterhehasbeeninauguratedintothathighoffice，permitshimselftobebetrayedintoapublicmisstatementofwhatIhavesaid，andwhatIstandfor，thenheforcesmetocorrecthisstatements。

Mr。WilsonopenshisarticlebysayingthattheProgressive“doctrineisthatmonopolyisinevitable，andthattheonlycourseopentothepeopleoftheUnitedStatesistosubmittoit。”Thisstatementiswithoutoneparticleoffoundationinfact。IchallengehimtopointoutasentenceintheProgressiveplatformorinanyspeechofminewhichbearshimout。Icanpointhimoutanynumberwhichflatlycontradicthim。Wehavenevermadeanysuchstatementasheallegesaboutmonopolies。Wehavesaid：“Thecorporationisanessentialpartofmodernbusiness。Theconcentrationofmodernbusiness，insomedegree，isbothinevitableandnecessaryforNationalandinternationalbusinessefficiency。”DoesMr。Wilsondenythis？Lethimansweryesorno，directly。Itiseasyforapoliticiandetectedinamisstatementtotakerefugeinevasiverhetoricalhyperbole。ButMr。

WilsonisPresidentoftheUnitedStates，andassuchheisboundtocandidutteranceoneverysubjectofpublicinterestwhichhehimselfhasbroached。Ifhedisagreeswithus，lethimbefrankandconsistent，andrecommendtoCongressthatallcorporationsbemadeillegal。Mr。Wilson’swholeattackislargelybasedonadeftbutfarfromingenuousconfoundingofwhatwehavesaidofmonopoly，whichweproposesofaraspossibletoabolish，andwhatwehavesaidofbigcorporations，whichweproposetoregulate；Mr。Wilson’sownvaguelysetforthproposalsbeingtoattemptthedestructionofbothinwaysthatwouldharmneither。Inourplatformweusetheword“monopoly“

butonce，andthenwespeakofitasanabuseofpower，couplingitwithstock-watering，unfaircompetitionandunfairprivileges。DoesMr。Wilsondenythis？Ifhedoes，thenwhereelsewillheassertthatwespeakofmonopolyashesayswedo？HecertainlyowesthepeopleoftheUnitedStatesaplainanswertothequestion。InmyspeechofacceptanceIsaid：“WefavorstrengtheningtheShermanLawbyprohibitingagreementstodivideterritoryorlimitoutput；refusingtoselltocustomerswhobuyfrombusinessrivals；tosellbelowcostincertainareaswhilemaintaininghigherpricesinotherplaces；

usingthepoweroftransportationtoaidorinjurespecialbusinessconcerns；andallotherunfairtradepractices。”Theplatformpledgesusto“guardandkeepopenequallytoall，thehighwaysofAmericancommerce。”Thisistheexactnegationofmonopoly。UnlessMr。Wilsonispreparedtoshowthecontrary，surelyheisboundinhonortoadmitfranklythathehasbeenbetrayedintoamisrepresentation，andtocorrectit。

Mr。WilsonsaysthatforsixteenyearstheNationalAdministrationhas“beenvirtuallyundertheregulationofthetrusts。”andthatthebigbusinessmen“havealreadycapturedtheGovernment。”Suchastatementasthismightperhapsbepardonedasmererhetoricinacandidateseekingoffice——althoughitisthekindofstatementthatneverunderanycircumstanceshaveIpermittedmyselftomake，whetheronthestumporoffthestump，aboutanyopponent，unlessIwaspreparedtobackitupwithexplicitfacts。ButthereisanaddedseriousnesstothechargewhenitismadedeliberatelyandincoldbloodbyamanwhoisatthetimePresident。InthisvolumeIhavesetforthmyrelationswiththetrusts。IchallengeMr。WilsontocontrovertanythingIhavesaid，ortonameanytrustsoranybigbusinessmenwhoregulated，orinanyshapeorwaycontrolled，orcaptured，theGovernmentduringmytermasPresident。Hemustfurnishspecificationsifhiswordsaretakenattheirfacevalue——andIventuretosayinadvancethattheabsurdityofsuchachargeispatenttoallmyfellow-citizens，notexceptingMr。Wilson。

Mr。Wilsonsaysthatthenewpartywasfounded“undertheleadershipofMr。Roosevelt，withtheconspicuousaid——Imentionhimwithnosatiricalintention，butmerelytosetthefactsdownaccurately——ofMr。GeorgeW。Perkins，organizeroftheSteelTrust。”WhetherMr。

Wilson’sintentionwassatiricalornotisofnoconcern；butIcallhisattentiontothefactthathehasconspicuouslyandstrikinglyfailed“tosetthefactsdownaccurately。”Mr。PerkinswasnottheorganizeroftheSteelTrust，andwhenitwasorganizedhehadnoconnectionwithitorwiththeMorganpeople。Thisiswellknown，andithasagainandagainbeentestifiedtobeforeCongressionalcommitteescontrolledbyMr。Wilson’sfriendswhowereendeavori