The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-12-23
THE TRUSTS MUST GO.

overlooked in the political agitation
now going on in this country. There
are many Discontinued; the farming
class is especially SO. This is not be-
cause their poverty is uncomfortable but
because their condition is believed to
be worse than it should be. 1t affords
no solution, no explanation, nor recon
citation to call farmers regulators
and anarchists. The farming class have
borne hard times; have accomplishing
ly endured privations. 1t is matter
Of history that at hard times in the first
century of our nation the farmers re-
turn was less than now, measured in
the nations money. Farmers lived
within themselves, wearing and max
ing their own clothes, preparing from
the grain their own bread. They did
not complain because there was no in
Justice about which complaint could
well be made.
The present condition is different The
rich are more prosperous than they
should be, while lines are so hard with
other classes. The farmers have been
taught that much Of this difference re-
suits from a conspiracy between the
law-making authority and the rich.
While this impression exists there will
be much real tisfaction-danger-
Gus dissatisfaction in this country. AS
a matter of fact, there is very little
trustworthy evidence of this. The
trouble lies not in the law favoring
trusts and monopolies but in permit
ting them. That trusts exist; that they
defy competition in their lines Of bust
ness; that they eliminate enterprises,
regulate output and price, throw men
out OF employment by absorbing and
closing competing establishments, is
matter of certainty. What the people
want to know is whether this can't be
stopped by law. They are convinced
that trust-made prices are in the inter
ests Of the trust and against the con-
sumner; that the tendency is to curtail
employment and rob the purchaser.
This does not even rest upon assump-
ton but is matter of fact. The people
will never be satisfied until the trusts
are brought low or until they know
that national antitrust laws, by virtue
of state authority over such matters,
are nugatory. While such trusts as
the Anthracite Coal, Cotton Oil, Ameri
can Leather, Standard Oil, Meat and
other trusts exist there will be no such
thing as silencing the voice of the peo-
pie Trusts that control prices put the
consumer at the mercy of selfish indi-
viduals and must go.
This isn't a question of enmity to
property ownership, but simple mat
ter of justice-not a matter as to
whether B shall give up a part Of his
honest accumulation but whether his
accumulation shall be dishonest, or
whether he shall control markets and
sell goods at unreasonable profits be-
yond their cost Of production. The
trust however formed puts competition
out of the question. repeats the law Of
supply and demand and lets greed fix
the price to be exacted. 1t is no an
swer to say, let business regulate this,
that competing, similar enterprises will
cure the evil, because it is known that
trusts are in successful existence and
competition is helpless.
What the people want to know is
whether these matters can be reglllat-
ed by pational laws under the federal
constitution; if not, they will put up
with such state legislation as they can
have till the constitution may be
amended. The trusts will so sooner or
later. The more arrogant and defiant
the sooner. 1t is a matter Of no great
time before corporations for the aggre
CATION of capital will be sparingly char
tered for anything and will be dissolv-
ed whenever il may be determined, jul
dicially, their dissolution will serve the
public welfare.
The people are not unreasonable nor
regulators. nor anarchists, nor OPP
posed to enterprise nor ownership OF
property, but are simply seeking pro-
lection from xtortion-robbery. if you
please. Sooner or later the trusts must
GO. The people have so willed IL, and
the people are the rulers in this coun-