Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-18
nEALINn WITH TIE rRrNrs.

DEALING WITH THE TRUSTS,
The question Of dealing with the trusts
aud combinations for the destruction Of
competition and the restraint of trade
Is commanding general attention.
Thoughtful men are realizing, as they
have not done before. that the growth
and the increasing power Of these monop-
opolistic aggrcgations OF capital Is q
matter justifying the popular concern
that has been manifested, more con
spicuously in the late campaign than
ever before. and that there Is urgent
need of legislation Cor the suppression
of those combinations whose existence
is hostile to public policy and to the
public interests The feeling Is wide
spread that the determination of this
question of dealing with the trusts Is
quite IA important for the future peace
and prosperity of the country as Is
the settlement of the currency problem
and this feeling is very certain to cN-
tend as the discussion of the subject
goes on.
1t is already apparent that the people
who give attention to this matter cN-
pecL antitrust legislation from the next
congress and that If it is enacted il
will be enforced by the executive de-
partmcnt of the government. There Is
n belief that TrCsident-clCCt Mckinley
is heartily in sympathy with the popular
opposition to trusts ana that his inilu-
encc viii be eXcrtcd in favor of legisla-
ton against those combinations. Sub
stantial ground for this belief is found
in recent uttrranccS Of the newspaper
which is perhaps more in the confidence
of the presidenr-clcct than any other
the Cleveland Leader In an editorial
article within week after the election
that paper said that one of the first acts
of the republican congress ought to be
the passage of a vigorous antitrust
law. TRUSTS are legitimate subject
Of legislation" said the Leader. land If
the Fifty-lifth congress desires to do its
duty aud serve the interests of the
American people it will enact vigorous
law under which the attorney general
can proceed against all combinations of
capital which have been formed in
restraint of trade and TO destroy com
petition. The people will demand such
legislation and it must be enacted if the
members of that congress desire 10 keep
faith with the people" This is Ger.
tainly significant from Il journal which
during the campaign was regarded as
the personal organ of Major Mckinley
and it has said more since on the same
line.
The republican party enacted the first
antitrust law, thus attcsting it's desire
to protect the people against this form
of monopoly. Although the result of
much deliberation by the abest lawyers
in congress and then believed to be
adequate. it has proved to he Ineffective
The reasons for this have been set forth
in Il decision of the supreme court.
which points out that the penalties of
the act of 1890 apply only TO Il monopoly
of the inStrumentalities of interstate
commerce and that the act does not
apply to the most complete monopOlies
acquired by unlawful combination
of concerns which are naturally com
petitiyc, though they. in fact, control the
markets of the entire country. if en-
gaSing in interstate commerce be
merely one of the incidents of their
business and not its direct and immedi-
ate object The virtual effect Of the
decision has been declared to be to
exclude from the operation of the law
manufacturers and producers of every
class and probably importers also. In
indicating the limitations upon the au-
thority of congress as to legislation
of this kind, the supreme court at the
same time pointed out that the states
possess great power for dealing with
trusts and combinations in restraint of
trade. But congress is not altogether
powerless in the matter and the author
ity it has should be used to the fullest
extent for giving the people relief from
the eXactions and the perils of every
form of MONOPOLY.