The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-01-14

which either could be exacr+oa
would De executed with Ibertv OF OF
In his profoundly instructive
Just issued under the title "R oOOk,
Economic Changes" Mr.. David 0S a
Wells says: '1o a.
Society has practically abandon.
and from the very necessity ~ H'
case has, got to abandon. InIoss 'le
proposes to war against progress aDS
civilization, the prohibition Of nS 9no
trial concentrations and com5inatioS~
The world demands abundance
commodities and demands them cbo.
~, and experience shows that # "d
have them only by the emplovmont
OF great capital on an extensirs
scale" HSlVe
he states the difficult problem nom
presented to society for it's solution w
this form: ID
"To the producer the question -
Importance is, How can comnetit;ou
be restricted to an extent sufficient y.
prevent its injurious excesses2 ~
the consumer, How a combina+;o0
be restricted so as to secure it's ID
vantages and at the same time crrL
its acuses?
ROOM FOR ESCAPE.
But aside from the economic crit;
cism of such sweeping legislation i
must be considered whether, in the
long run, it could be enforced. Re-
curing to the structure of trusts a..
explained in former papers, the ones
ton may be raised whether the deeds
Of the Standard Oil and the suoo~
trusts were not drawn with an eve to
this legislation, and if SO, whether
these great typical trusts could not
defy or escape its operation.
These laws, it may be observed, in.
aict penalties and forfeitures, and ar.
cording to wellknown and verv inst
rules of Interpretation, must be strict.
ly construed, and enforced onlv NV
plenary proof. They are directed
against combinations to fix the prices
or to regulate the production of articles
of merchandise. Unless the courts
hold that the trust structure in q
criminal action or in one to enforce a
forfeiture would per Sc supply sufficient
proof that such was the intent or the
effect of the trust, where is the proof
to be gotten? In both cases the
trustees denied on the witness stand
with much emphasis, that they ever
attempted or intended to fix prices or
to regulate production. The meetings
are secret. We have seen that thew
keep no minutes, or at best but
meager and meaningless memoranda
of their proceedings. If we are to
legislate successfully against the evils
of trusts we must endeavor to do so
through laws that shall be correct in
principle, simple in their provisions
and easy of enforcement. The highest
legal talent is always at the command
of the defenda Mt, and the people can
afford to take no risks in the first en-.
counter.
THE SPRINGER BILL.
Perhaps 1 should not dismiss this
subject without referring to a bill pre-.
pared by Nh. Springer, Of Illinois,
and very strongly pressed by him
upon the majority members of the
committee on ways and means of the
last House for incorporation into the
Mills bill. 1t proposed to levy an in.
ternal revenue tax of 40 per cent. on
the products of trusts. Such a tax
would neutrallze to that extent their
protection under the tariff and open
the door for competition between for.
eign products and those of the trusts
in our market. While possibly rails
ing the cost to the consumer, the
profits to the trusts would be largely
diverted into the public treasury. But
the immense practical difficulties in
enforcing such a tax and the tremen
dous power it would vest in the Treas
ury Department over the industries Of
the country were objections to its
adoption that seemed insuperable.
WIN. L. Wilson.