The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-11-08
A BLOW AT CORPORATIONS.
The Joint Traffic Association Deci'
SION

SOL
October "a the, Supreme Court de
cided the case Of the Government
against the joint Traffic Association in
favor Of the former. The question 10
vowed was as to the application of the
Sherman anti trust Ia q to treh1 agree
ments between railroads to maintain
RACES. The attorneys for che Crah 9
Association maintained that uh5 lac,
did not cover such agreements IS that
made by h Association, and they
also attacked the consCltuciOnallCy Of
the law. The our holds, in an opin
ion c1ncurred in By Caief Justice Full
Ter and Justices Harlan, Brewer,
BroTu and PeckhRm, that the AssO,
citation is such a combination in re.
sEraint Of trade as is prohibited by the
anti trust law, and efirms the consvltu
q, nality of the Sherman law.-Publlc
| Opiui)n.
Commenting on this, the New York
Journal Silver D1mocraO ssya: The
decision mas general Importance in
| that Il Gfirms the constiLutIoDatiSy OF
tee Sherman antitrust law, under
| which all monOp0lis;ic com binariOns
! OF corporations ca be CHS. .veG. Il
has spaciai Importance In nat 1t com
! Deis the dissolution of g combination
| of he greatest railroads in the UII1sd
, States formed 10 maIntaiu rates, ClVIde
traffic, and crush competition. And
this decision tff)rCs he vantage
| ground from which the attack on
trusts be made with the certainty
OF SUCCESS. Given this judicial aftir
mutton of the cCnstItutIOnall5y of the
! anti trust law, it needs only to install
IL power q party admItte ly hostile to
trusts TO work the emancipation Of the
people iron This form OF monopoly"
W,llace's Farmer also comments on
the occasion, ind calls attention 10 ite
rasua5 Lat Congressman watch thus
Sc enc. Let it be nipped in the bud.
Safety demands it. Says Wallace's:
the Supreme Court has in effect ae-
clGEd that every combination Of every
character between railroads for the
purpose Of maintaining rates higher
than com petition would compel, is In
violation of the Interstate commerce
law aud the Sherman anti trust law,
and hence illegal and VOID. The logl,
cal result of this decision will De the
~1ar dcrormTuo9 atronn svor nu6o
by any body of men TO enact d pooling
bill at the next session OF Congress
LnaG will legalizs these combinations,
enable them TO co!lecE pensiUee as
mus control completely the transpor-
TauIon not only between ChicBgo and
New YoIk, but between any points in
the United States, including chose run
uIng at right angles TO the east anG
wess lines and terminating at the guilt
ports.
Tue only security that farmers have
against mis- DyCJlDg up Process that
viii practically maze them seTfs TOR
life Il In Congress, ana hence We Iegard
it as of the utmost importance mat
any candidate for Congress or every
parry should next week be G~nterrogated
as to now he intends TO vote on this
bill. We have inUImated 10 the last
few weeks that there were strong in0I
cations that a move OF this Kind would
be made. There is no Question about
il now. We regard thus question of
pooling as the must impUt Cant that
viii come before the nexG Congress.
Bear In mind that the Congress now
elected holds for two yeArs, and if
Cney are allowed to go III without
pledges on this question, there Is little
doubt out that the pooling Oil will be
enacted. Unpledgcd mtn Will be Ut
tegly unable to resist the pressure thag
viii be Brought to bear Ola them from
80, o. 100, 600 of capital represented
Dy the stOcK and bonds OF the railroads,
a large portion of it under the control
OF one man. Pledge every Congress
mai TO vote against the pooling bill in
every form. D3n't wait to see the
candidate; write lin. There is not a
day to lose"
ORGANIZE AND EDUCATE.