Wichita eagle., 1889-12-08
THE MOST RADICAL ANTITRUST
MOVE.

OuS OI llS COIuuOuSot oOOJCSeo W OS
taken up by all recent speakers on social
questions has been the gradual and sue
cessful development of associations fol-
the especial protection and benefit OF
their members. The. final perfection OF
the labor union is the theme for uninter-
hitting discussion and approval. And
of late the practical recognition of the
usefulness of association, offensive and
defensive, has ceased to be confined to
working men, and the principle has been
adopted by the capitalists, and the
highest development of it appears in the
modern trust.
Against union in this shape. however,
there has arisen such hostility as to
change somewhat the public estimate OF
association. All sorts of laws have been
passed in various states against the trust
principle, with an eye single to its exer-
else by capital. In some cases it is ex-
pressly provided that the statutes shall
not apply to trusts when they happen to
be labor trusts. There is now special
effort going on in New York to break
down these other trusts, with promises
that, after the first has been smashed,
all the others shall follow, so that the
entire capitalistic department of the trust
business shall be obliterated.
But the New York movement against
trusts is really far less definite or COM
prehensiye than one we read Of in the
Pittsburg Dispatch which has been in
troduced into that city by Judge Ewing.
We find in our contemporary the report
of an application before Judge Ewing
for charter by a set of wOrkingmen
who may be described as occupying the
next stage in the labor world to the
journeymen horseshoers, the latter's
unions, Of course, being established
everywhere. In Pittsburg, recently. six
master horseshoers applied for charter
for union, but Judge Ewing's refusal
to grant it is thus quoted:
1.-The object of the proposed corpora
ton, as set forth in the application, is for
the purpose, first. Of encouraging and
protecting the trade of horseshoers in the
cities of Pittsburg and Allegheny
second, for preserving and disseminating
valuable business information; and third.
adjusting as far as practicable controver-
sizes and misunderstanding arising
among the members as to methods and
prices of work.
''The first two purposes are laudable
and certainly not illegal, though how a
charter of incorporation will aid the
association in carrying out its purposes
is difficult to see. The third purpose
avowed is that of interfering with the
natural laws of trade and usurping the
functions of government 1t is contrary
to sound public policy, and, if not SC
intended, may readily be used to
shield the members behind the form of a
corporation, from the consequences of
illegal acts and combinations. For this
we refuse to approve the proposed
charter"
According to Judge Ewing's reason
ing, every combination to regulate the
prices and controversies of labor implies
an intended interference with the
natural laws of trade that cannot be
tolerated. If the rule of this decision
were applied practically to the indus
trial world, it would not only wipe out
all capitalistic trusts and partnerships
but it would break up the labor associa.
tons, which. after years of patient and
discouraging effort, have finally become
established among the most guarded and
doubtless most immovable institutions
of all civilized communities. Ii the
master horseshoers cannot unite, neither
can the journeymen. There can be nc
privileged classes in this country. pos
sessed of different rights from those OF
other people. What one man has the
right to do another has the right also tt
do.
At the foundation of all trust organ
izations are the labor unions, and Judge
Ewing's blow so close to their root bring!
| a fancy of the moment to a point where
its absurdity is so apparent and the i'm
possibility OF its acceptance SO shown
that even its most uncompromising adj
vOcateS must see.