The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1894-10-19
REPUBLICAN TRUSTS.
LAWS DESTROYING THEM PASSED
BY CONGRESS.

LAWS DESTROYING Them PASSED
BY CONGRESS.
Combinations to Increase Market Prices Of
Restrasn Lawful Trade disposed of Ef-
fectuaily- Penal Clause For Injury to
Eusinsas Or Property.
Tho Times recently called attention
to the antitrust features Of the new tar-
iff bill, and though 1t was then made
plain that under the operations Of the
bill it would be as impossible for trusts
to restrain trade and manipulate prices
as it would for bar OF pig metal to fly,
the matter has not received that consid-
Grafton at the hands Of the press that
its Importance deserves. Section 78 Of
the new law provides that every COM
bination, conspiracy, trust, agreement
or contract is hereby declared to be CON
trary to public policy, illegal and void
when the same Is made by or between
two or more persons or corporations,
either of whom is engaged lii importing
any article from foreign country into
the United States, and when such com-
bination, conspiracy, trust agreement
or contract is intended to operate in re-
straint Of lawful trade or free competi-
tion in lawful trade or commerce or to
increase the market price in any part Of
the United States Of any article or ar
ticles imported or intended TO be im-
ported into the United States, or Of any
manufacture into which such imported
article enters or is intended to enter.
This feature OF the bill was intro
duced by Senator Morgan Of Alabama,
who must have had in mind the Sugar
srust when he was preparing IL Il Is q
well known fact that at least six-tenths
Of the raw sugar consumed by the trust
is imported, SO that it is clearly and
uuquestionably amenable to that pro-
vision of the law. But it applies with
equal exaotness to the Steel trust, the
Cordage trust and most other trusts.
Bessemer steel is produced from iron
made by mixing Cuban with domestic
ores, the Cordage trust imports large
proportion Of the flax it uses, and the
other trusts import raw materials from
which to manufacture their wares. This
law, moreover, differs from tho Sher-
man and other antitrust laws in that
safe and certain provisions ARE made
for it's enforcement Section ~ provides
THAT the several circuit courts Of the
United States are hereby invested with
jurisdiction to prevent and restrain vio-
lations of section 10 Of this act, and 1t
shall be the duty of the several district
attorneys of the United States in their
respective disticts, under the direction
of the attorney general, to institute pro-
ceedings in equity to prevent and re-
strain such violations, " That is neither
ambiguous nor uncertain.
The only doubt that can be raised
concerning the efficacy Of this law ia that
federal district attorneys might not be
inclined to aot, but this is an unraason-
able assumption, for, while officials who
reside at points contiguous to the trusts
might be influenced to be lenient with
them, those widely separated could en-
tertain no such feeling Of friendship,
and the complaint Of any citizen to my
official thus situated would be certain
to produce results,
The law obviously contemplated this
fact, for ii extends jurisdiction to the
hEeyeral circuit courts in the United
States" in the section above quoted. In
session rs it sets forth that when the
ends Of justice require that other parties
should ba brought before the court the
conrt may cause them to be summoned,
whether they reside in the district in
which the court Is held or not, and
section 76 provides that amy property
owned under any contract on by any
combination on pursuant TO any con,
spiTacy--and being the subject thereof
mentioned in section rs OF this act,
and being in the course Of transportation
from one state to another, on to or from
territory, or tho District OF Columbia,
shall be forfeited to the United States
and may be seized and condemned by
like proceedings as those provided by |
law for the forfeiture, seizure and con-
domination OF property imported into the
United States contrary to law. "
These, with the penal clause which |
providea--sention 77--"that any person |
who shall be injured in his business or |
property by any other person or corpora
tion by reason Of anything forbidden or
declared to be unlawful by this act may
sue therefor in any cirouit court Of the
United States in the district IN which
the defendant resides oF IL found, with
out respect to tho amount In controyer-
sy, and shall receive threefold the dam
ages by him sustained and the costs Of |
suit including q reasonable attorneys |
fee, comprises what Representative
McMillin az Tennessee, In Q speech |
made in the house on Aug 18, justly and |
properly characterized as "the most
stringent law against trusts eyer enaet-
ed In this country"
The Times fully appreciates the vast
saving 10 the people, amounting 70 mora
than 4 thausaid million dollars annual
~, which the schedules Of the new tariff |
bill Afford but II ventures the estimate |
that II congress during its recent pro
logged session bad accomplished moth
ing elss than this throttling ~ tho
trusts the hydra headed mopsksrs which |
were not only destroying the commerce
and Industries Of the country, but Wern
strangling the liberties of the people as
well, 1t would hRye earned the eternal |
gratitude not only Oh the public pf to-
day, hnt for all time.- Kansas City /
Times
Nst slated Eae DuFsnt.