The Dickinson press., 1896-12-12
TRUSTS TAKEN TO TASK.
The President Urgently Recomme nax
Further LeRiala fian

rurtneF Le819lattOn.
Another topic In which our peOple right
!niIy take deep Interest may be here brief.
~ considered. refer to the existence of
trusts and other huge aggregations of capi.
tel, the object Of which Is to secure the
monopoly OF some particular branch of
trade Industry or commerce, and so stttie
wholesome competition. When these are
defended. 1t Is usually on the ground that
though they increase profits they also re-.
tWe prices to the people, This is not one
OF the real objects Of these organizations,
nor IL their tendency necessarily In that
direction. II 1t occurs In q particular case,
1t IL only because 1t accorls with the Dur.
pose or interest Of those managing the
scheme. Such occasional results fall far
short Of compensating the palpable evils
charged to the account of trusts and mo.
nopolies. Their tendency is to. crush out
individual Independence, and to hinder or
prevent the free use of human facilities
and the full development Of human char.
acter. Through them the farmer, the arti-
san and the small trader Is in danger of
dislodgelncnt from the prgld position of
being his own master. watchful Of oil that
touches his country's prosperity, in which
he has an individual lot, and interested in
all that aects the advantages Of business
OF which he Is a factor, to be relegated tO
the level OF mere appurteuence to u great
machine, with little free will, with no duty
but that Of passive obedience and with lit.
tie hope or opportunity Of raising In the
scale Of responsible and helpful citizenship,
10 the instructive belief that such IL the
inevitable trend Of trusts and monopolies Ia
due the widespread aud deep-seatcd popular
aversion In which they are held ,and the
not unreasonable insistence that, whatever
may be their incidental economic adyant-
ages, their general effect upon personal
character, prospects and usefulness cannot
be otherwise than injurious. Though con.
gress has attempted to deal with this mat.
ter by legislation, the laws passed for that
purpose thus far have proved ineffective,
not because of any lack Of disposition or at.
tempt to enforce them, but simply because
the laws themselves as interpreted by the
courts do not reach the difficulty II the In.
sufictency Of existing laws can be remedicd
by further legislation 1t should be done. 1t
should be recognized, however, that all fed.
eral legislation on this subject may fall
short OF its purpose because of inherent
obstacles and also because of the complex
character OF our governmental system,
which, while making the federal authority
supreme within its sphere, has carefully
limited that sphere by methods and bounds
which cannot be transgressed. The decision
OF our highest court on this precise cues.
tfon renders 1t quite doubtful whether the
evils OF trusts and mOnOpolies can be ade.
quately treated through federal action, un.
objects transportation or Intercourse he.
tween states or between the United States
aud foreign countries. 1t does not follow,
however. that this Is the limit OF the rem.
cdy that may be applied. Even though 1t
may be found that federal authority is not
broad enough to fully reach the case, there
can be no doubt Of the power of the several
states 10 act effectively In the premises.
and there should be no reason to doubt
their willingness to judiciously exercise
such power.
In concluding this communication, its last
words shall be an appeal to the congress for
the most rigid ecOnomy in the xpenditure
Of the money 1t holds In trust for the
People. The way to perplexing extravaganza
Is easy. but Il return to frugallty IL difhcult,
When. however, 1t Is considered that these
who bear the burdens of taxation have
no guaranty of honest care save in the
finelity Of their public servants, the duty
of all possible retrenchmcnt Is plainly mani.
fest. When our differences are forgotten
and our contests Of political opinion are no
longer remembered nothing In the retro.
spect of our public service will be az
fortunate and comforting as the recollection
Of official duty well performed and the mem
ory of II constant devotion to the interests
of our cOntidlng fellow countrymen.
-GROVER CLEVELAND.
Executive Mansion, Dec. Z, 1896.