Omaha daily bee., 1893-04-08
CONVENTION TO CONSIDER TRUSTS

CONNENIiDO IU tONSIDth TRUSTS
The legislature OF Minnesota has en-
riched the statutes OF that state by laws
TO prevent and punish combinations,
such as the coal trust, which exacted
81 900 from wholesale dealers and 800
from retailers before they were allowed
to do business, all Of which Of course
came out Of the pockets OF the peo-
pie. Any ono hereafter convicted of
acting as these coal conspirators did
may be imprisoned and fined. A very
good proposition has also come
from that state, which is that
a convention be held in the carly part of
June composed of delegates from
the states north of the boundary
line between Virginia and North
Carolina to consider remedies for
the combination evil and recon-
mend some scheme OF action to
their respective states and also to the
next congress.
The plan is an excellent one for arous-
ing public attention to the trust evil and
bringing an influence to bear from which
wholesome results might reasonably be
expected. 1t does not appear that much
is to be hoped for from the antitrust
law enacted by the Fifty-first congress.
That act has been successfully invoked
in only one case, which was of compara-
lively small Importance, and it is ques-
tiOnable whether it can be made effective
against any of the great trusts that are
now feeding fat on their eXactions from
h., g
GUS combinations have come into eX
istence since the law was passed and
! have flourished without check or him
| dranCe, while those in existence before
| the law, and which it was naturally eX-
| pected would succumb to this legislation,
have grown steadily stronger. The last
administration may not have made so
earnest an attempt as was possible to
! enforce the law, but such as it did make
was q failure, and there is no assurance
that the present administration will be
more successful, assuming that it will
seriously endcavOr to enforce the law.
President Cleveland said in his inau-
gural address that the government
ought to do all within its power to
| Bi'''NO lllS DCOplc az dlISG NdoU
aggregations of capital and combi-
nations of business interests to control
production and prices, but public con-
tidence' in uttcrances of this kind has
so often been disappointed that it is
hard to have any faith in them. Per-
haps sincere effort to enforce the anti
trust law will be made by the admins
tration, but the people cannot feel sure
that the result will b. satisfactory.
At any rate no harm can come from a
popular expression on this subject of
trusts. which may have the effect tC
stimulate the administration and con-
grcss, and to create sentiment in favor
of general state legislation. Perhaps
the surest and best protection of the
people against combinations will be
found in state laws and such con
vention as is suggested could hell
greatly toward securing state legisla
tion. There is II too general popular
apathy on this subject, and so long as
this continues to be the case monopoly
will grow and become more firmly in
trenched. Anything that will arouse
the public from its Indifference and stii
up u sentiment vigorous enough to com
mand attention and respect cannot fai
to do good The convention might rea
sonably be expected to produce these re
suits.