The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-01-11
THE POsT -IyTELLIGENcER.


The courts throughout the country aT-
uesr 10 - doing their rars toward sup
pressing the trust combinations, that latest
form 81 nsEsdGrectes eaFstasissse energT,
WITH more prosnpsress than they usually
display.
The latest reported decision in this AiEse
vas rendered By Superior Judge ". =.
Wallace. Of san Francisco. formerly Chief
Justice Of the California supreme court
and ansong the ablest 81 living iarisss- In
languaee which hardly could hare been
naas stronger. ne held that the American
sugar Refinery, ~ becoming member OF
the CREST sugar trust had absolutely Tor.
feftea It's charter.
In the course OF his decision Judge Nai-
lace declares that the trust Vas . con
spggsry whose objects and methods were
nerciless, and that IL was organized with
the intent, and has alwavs since its form
asion been operated for the purpose OF de-
terforatGng the quality and diminishing the
supply OF sugar throughout the United
stases. OF increasing to consumers the cost
and price Of the article. OF destroying COM
petition In its production. and creating
monopoly and general restraint OF trade IN
sugar as an article OF commerce and con-
sumption.
Ii would be hard 10 find Language ade-
quase to > more crushing philiipie. Al
viii recognize the justice Of strong Ian
gaAee. concedinR the facts 10 be a. stated,
but IL il nat al who entertain the thought
who would be able 10 express Il 50 foreibAy.
But the San Francisco Eransiasr, in COM
nenting on this decision, appears uneasy
about what Is to follow II the trusts are
driven 90 the wall Surprising that these
combinations Of several individuals or
corporations into trusts Is stopped II i in
a quandary 20 foresee what can be done Il
one individual or corporation shall obtain
control of all business in each line OF enter
prise III Gould. for instance. should ah-
sorh all OF the telegraph lines, Hunting
ton all OF the railroads. spreckels all OF
the sugar reiinafies. etc.
IL never pays 10 borrow trouble Of the
future. nor to he restrained from subvert-
iag present evil for fear greater may arise
In The future But it requires no great
strain 81 the pereeptive faculties TO dis
cover that the poner which can I,ssi;ss.ssset
against thousands who are banded and
organized for a nefaFious purpose. must he
competent % meet the emergency when
bsst single transgressog Is To be dealt
with for tie same act. II would be as
sensible 10 fear that by prosecuting for
conspiracies 10 murder we might lose ar
lessen this ability to prosecute for the
commission OF that crime.
II single individual or corporation
should obtain ownership or control OF all
the railroads, all the telegraph lines. or all
the sugar refineries in the country. and
use them in the manner SO forribly ex-
pressed by Judge Wallace. or in any man-
ner clearly snhversive al the public welfare.
honest legislatures and courts would End
no difficulty in dealing with the question.
II matters should come 10 the worst. the
power OF condemnation 20 public use could
he exercised In all such cases. and Edward
Rellamy's dream would be realized.
AT all events let the courts go ON vita
the good work Of demolishing the trusts,
and never nurse a timid fear that free
people cannot cope with even greater evil
Il il shall appear.