The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-15
Mnror Pinrree,s canton vi.it.

/ Mr.. Pingree, the governor-eiect of Michi-
| gan, visited Canton a day or two ago and
talked with Mr.. Mckinley. He talked with
him about trusts. The subject of trusts
weighs heavily upon the mind OF Mr.. Pm
gree, ana it is to be presumed that the sole
purpose of his visit TO Canton was TO find
out what Mr. Mckinley is going to do
about them when ne gets into the white
house.
Mr.. Pingree never misses an opportunity
to get himself before the public. When
mayor of Detroit he became known
throughout the country as Potato Pingree.
He induced the owners Of the vacant lots
of the city to permit the lots TO be culti-
waited by poor people who planted them in
potatoes. 1t was very good idea. 1t made
Mr. Pingree famous and helped to make
him governor.
Mr.. Pingree. commenting on his talk with
Mr. Mckinley about trusts. says: Il found
that he knows as well as anybody that
they are rotten to the core. He recognizes
that they are one of the greatest evils in
this country, and knows that something
has got to be done. He's all right" There is
some satisfaction in knowing that Mr.. Nc
Kinley is all right, bat Mr.. Pingree doesn't
tell US what steps Mr.. Mckinley is going
to take, if any, TO smash the trusts. Nor
does he make it clear that Mr.. Mckinley
intends to try to smash them when he be-
comes President More than that, he
doesn't tell US that how the people would
be benefited a great deal if all the trusts
should be smashed.
1t must be evident to everybody that
there are trusts which benefit the people
and trusts which rob them. An honestly
conducted trust puts money in the pockets
of the people. because it can afford to seli
the article of which it has the monopoly
at a lower price than that for which the
article could be sold if many were com
peting in the production of 1t. 1t is like
this: Many small railroads operated as
one system can be managed al much less
cost than if they were managed as separate
corporations. They therefore can afford to
accept lower traffic rates, and, under the
pressure Of the national and state COM
missions, do accept lower rates. So in case
Of the coal oil trust, the people get cheap
er kerosene than if there were fifty or
hundred coal oil companies. II is true the
trust makes a vast amount of money, but
its profit on each gallon of oil it produces
is astonishingly small.
As a matter of fact many of the monop-
oles and trusts are the result of competi-
ton. If the competition had been contin-
ued the competitors would have been ruin
ed financially and consumers would not
have been able to get the article produced
as cheaply as they get it now. There are
trusts, however, which rob the public.
They take every cent from the consumer
they can get.
What is needed is not legislation that
would wholly destroy trusts, but that
would protect the public against extor-
tionate charges of trusts. If the traffic
rates of railroads can be kept within rea-
sonable bounds by legislation SO can the
prices of the products of trusts. If this is
a correct view there is no use bothering
Mr.. Mckinley about trusts. He will not
have the making of the laws. 1t will be his
duty to administer them. Mr.. Pingree
should turn his attention to congress.
1t is true there is now an antitrust law,
and some of the newspapers complain that
it is not enforced, but it is probable that it
is so loosely framed that trusts which vio-
late it's spirit have no dificulty in escap-
ing the penalties it provides.