The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-11-18
OGDEN DEPT.
EERHLp BRaNcE OFFICE,
Bis UTAH LOAN g. TRUST BUILDING.
Ogden, November IS.
AGAINST MoNoPoLIEs.

There is considerable being said in q
quiet way about the revival of the Utah
& Wyoming railroad from mere TO
Casper. The road, if ever it is COM
pIeted, will open up the Wyoming coal
fields which would, under ordinary cir
cumstances, be of inestims Bile beneht TO
the people of this city; but if the new
road should join the coal combine, the
benefit would extend only TO the in
crease in business in consequence of the
opening of new highway east.
One of the things which the trainers
of the new constitution should look out
for should be the Incorporation I'M that
document Of every possible safeguard
against the ravages of trusts ana COM
Dimes. 1t is becoming more and more
settled fact, with each recurring day,
that the masses must be protected
against the aggressiveneSS, yes, heart
lessness, of capital by rigid provisions
in the statutes of the commonwealth.
The laborer is worthy Of his hire; so
is capital entitled to q fair increase on
the amount invested in any enterprise;
but in this day of trusts, that do not
exist by authority Of law and are,
therefore, responsible to no authority
save the behests Of the men who con-
lEOl lucul. TIE ptOplc dIt uullHdlCIlcu
and often have TO submit to injustice
because of the seIfishness of capital.
It is not right or just, even. that the
people of this city should have to pay
such unreasonable prices for coal, when
It is notorious fact that it can be
mined and delivered to market and sold
for from . 10 50 per cent cheaper than
it is being sold today. and yet leave a
fair margin for everyone engaged in
the business, OF course, the dealer
cannot make this reduction, but the
mine OWNER. the railroads and the deal
ers together can do even better than
the above figures.
The constitution of the new state of
Utah can be made a great protection
against combinations or trusts. 1t can
define them infinitely and then say that
they shall not exist in the state, and
that no corporation shall exist in this
state that is in any way connected with
any such institutions that may exist in
any other state.
The difference between the price coal
IS sold at in this city and what would
Zoe considered a reasonable price after
allowing the mine owner a fair price
for his product. the railroads liberal
amount OF freight and the dealer a fair
profit. would be sufficient to feed and
clothe more than half the population Of
the city for the winter.
Moral suasion has no weight with
capital or corporations as rule; there
fore, the safeguard of the people is the
law. The state of Illinois made some
wise provisions for the protection of her
citizens when she first entered the
union; if more had been made along the
same line, she would have been a still
greater state than she is today.
In the early days, the Illinois Central
wanted the state to grant certain state
lands in aid of the construction of the
road; but, instead of giving the lands
outright, there was condition which
today is a boon to every Illinois tax
payer. That condition was that. after
certain period, the railroad company
should pay into the state treasury Z
per cent, of the gross earnings of the
road forever and this is incorporated in
the constitution of the state and can
not be repealed, except by vote of all
the people; and it is safe to say that
the people never will vote its abroga-
ton, because, today, the revenue from
the railroad alone is almost. or quite.
sufficient to provide for all the govern
mental expenses of the state
This instance is cited merely to show.
what is possible when the trainers of
the fundamental law look well to the
future of the state.