The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-12-08

hblnlDnS the DAllkllE business ana Inc
accumulation Of funds. and confines It's
monetary operations to the receipt OF
the money contributed by the peopl"
for its support. and to the expenditure
OF such money for the peoples benefit.
our business interests end all good
citizens long for rest from fcvcr!sh GGi-
tltl0n. and the Inauguration by the
government OF n reformed financial pol
icy which will encourage enterprise and
make certain the rewards Of labor and
indlstry.
Trusts Denounced.
Another topic In which our people
r~lEhtfuily take Il deep interest may be
here briefly considered. l refer TO the
existence of trusts and other huge ae.
ErvEati6n Of capital. the object OF which
Is To secure the monopoly OF some par
ticular branch OF trade. industry or
commerce and to st!iic wholesome COM
petition. When these are defended It
l. usually on the ground that though
they increase profits they also rcducc
prices and thus may bcncfIt the public.
Il must be remembered. however. that i
reduction OF prices 10 the people Is not
one OF the zeal objects OF these G%rSanizl-
tons, nor is their tendency necessarily
In that direction. II II occurs In Il par
tIcullr case, only because It accorLS
with the purposes or interests OF those
managing the scheme, such occasional
results fall far short OF compenAatinE
the palpablc evils charged 20 the ac-
count OF trusts ana mon0polics. Their
tendency IS to crush out individual In
dependence end to hinder or prevent the
free Use Of human faculties and the de-
Nelopment Of human character.
Through the former the artisan and the
SINAI! trader Is in danger OF diSludge-
ment from the proud position OF being
his " master. w%atchful OF all tina;
touches his country's prosperity, in
which he has an individual lot and in
terested In all that affects the advant-
nges Of business Of which he is a factor,
To be relegated TO the level Of a mere
hppurtcnance TO q great machine. with
little free will. with no duty but that
OF passive obedience, and with little
hope or opportunity OF rising in the
scale Of responsible and hopeful citizen
ship.
To the" instructive belief that such Is
the Inevitable trend of trusts and mo-
nopolies Is due the widespread and
deerseatct popular aversion in which
they are held ana the not unreasonable
~insistance. thai, whatever may be their
NANAiNAAl4C sAAN -A-IAIEtS, llltlF
general effect upon personal character,
prospects and usefulness cannot be
otherwise than injurious.
Though Congress has attempted 10
deal with This matter by legislation. the
laws passed Tor TINT purpose thus far
nave proved ineffective, not because nf
any lack OF disposition or attempt To en-
force them. hut simply because the laws
themselves rs Interpreted by the courts
do not reach The difficulty. II the in
suiiiciencicS of existing laws can be
remed!cd by further legislation It should
DC done. The fact must be recognized.
however, that all federal legislation on
this subject may fall short of Its pur-
pose hecauS OF inherent obstacles. and
also because Of the complex character OF
our governmental system. which. while
making the federal authority supreme
within It's sphere. has carefully limited
that sphere by meteS. and bounds which
cannot be overcome. The decision OF our
niSh court on thiS precise question rem
Heis II quite doubtful whether the evils
OF trusts ana mOnopOllcS car BE- ala-
Quateiy treated through federal action.
unless they seek directly and purposcly
10 include In their objects transportation
bctwccn states or between the United
States and foreign countries.
IL docs not f0lIaw, however, that this
IS the limit OF the remedy thUt NAV b..
applied. Even though II may be found
h 4 federal authority Is not broad
enough To fully reach the case. there can
be no doubt OF the power Of the several
States 10 net effectively In the premises,
and thcrG should be no reason 10 doubt
their Willingness 10 JuiicIously exercise
such power. In concluding This COM
munIcat'On its la0t words shall be an
appeal 10 the Congress for the most
rigid cnc0nomy In the expenditure OF the
money IL holds in trust for the peoplc.
The way TO ~pcrplcXing cNtravagIncS Is
easy, but Il return to fruSality is difl-
cult.
When, however. 1t Is considered tina,
those who bear the burdens OF taxation
have no guaranty Of honest care save In
the fidelity OF their public servants, the
duty Of all possible rc]trenchmcnt is
plainly manifest.
When our differences are forgotten.
and our contests OF political opinion are
no longer remembered. nothing in tho
retrospect OF our public service will be nq
fortunate and comforting M the rrcol-
lection of official duty well performed
and the memory Of n constant devotion
to the interests Of our cnntldIuS fellow
citizens. GROVER CLEVELAND.
Executive Mansion. Dec. Z, 1896.