Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-04-09


the last thirty years, the upbuilding in
any legitimate shape has never taken
place. What our American ship mer-
chants wish is not discriminating duties,
but continuance of existing dutles-of
no duty in the case of Chinese mattings
and general extension of the free list
in every possible direction.-[ Boston
Herald.
OLIVER OPTIC.
Probably there is more or less truth
in the statement that Oliver Optic OWED
no small part of his popularity to his
nom de plume. OF course, the name
neither added nor detracted from the
merit of his stories, but no less an au-
thority than Thackeray has laid down
the proposition that in literature as in
business much depends on a good name.
There is no doubt that Oliver Optic reck-
oned that valuable possession among his
other literary assets. The name is one
that catches the eye as well as the ear,
and it was calculated to appeal particu-
larry to juvenile appreciation. Not a
few of Mr., Adams intimate friends
were accustomed to address him socially
by his nom de plume, and he never re-
scented it. 1t seemed to bring him and
them together closer Boston Herald.
NO EXCUSE FOR SUICIDE.
In an interview published yesterday
evening Aldace F. Walker, chairman of
the board of directors of the Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe Railway company,
reviewing the late supreme court deci-
sion in the Trans Missouri case, describes
the effect of it upon other departments of
business industry and trade than the
railroads, at which it is directly aimed,
in a manner calculated to set a great
many persons besides railway managers
thinking. Antitrust laws, he says. are
finding their place upon the statute books
of every state. and under this interpre-
tation of the federal law, which will
naturally be adopted by the state courts,
"all agreements between insurance COM
all agreements between competing man
ufacturers which seek to enable them to
obtain a fair price for their products all
agreements among newspapers as to
prices, advertising rates, or salaries; all
labor unions which endeavor to maintain
wages at living rate; all concerted ac-
ton among farmers designed to secure
reasonable prices for their crops; even
agreements among lawyers and physi-
clans, livery stable keepers, artisans of
all kinds, are Illegal; the whole fabric of
methods under which business is today
conducted falls to the ground, and at
least one-half of the citizens of the repub.
lie are under the under the shadow of the
penitentiary." If Colonel Walkers logic
be not taulty-and his reasoning seems
plausible at east-he is clearly justified
in saying that this is revolution with a
vengeance" as it Ignores and overturns
modern methods and modern necessities,
and sets us back three hundred years.
Passing from criticism of the decision,
which, however interesting from tie
point of view of the dialectician, can
hardly have any practical bearing in eX-
isting circumstances, he proceeds to the
inquiry what the railroads can dc under
this decision. Three courses, in his
Judgment, are open. First. to do nothing.
This, he says, would bring chaos and
ruin not only upon the roads but upon
the entire business community, and
"preciptate commercial panic the like
of which this country has never exper-
| fenced. Second, for the roads to decline
to make further changes in their rates
and refer all questions of that character
to the interstate commerce commission.
This would be relief to the roads, but
he doubts whether the commission could
do the work required. Moreover, if the
ratemaking power was intrusted to the
! commission, there is no reason why it
should not be assumed by congress, and
this, he thinks, would lead to endless
confusion and an era of Generalization.
His third suggestion is that the railroads
unite in seeking a iudlcious amendment
of the law, under which they may enter
into agreements which shall be legal for
the conduct of the transportation BUSH
ness. The last is, in his opinion, the
best course to be adopted, and the rail-
roads should have the assistance of
every intelligent business man in under
taking it. We believe it is safe to say
that in any such effort of the railroads to
procure a reasonable modification of the
law they will have the cooperation of
business men and the sympathy of the
people generally. We are not certain,
indeed, that they would not be sustained
by public opinion if they should ask for
absolute repeal of the law, in view of its
sweeping character and its practical
worthlessness.