The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-19
TRUSTS ANp spoILs.
Brief Analytical Last Of Some Of the
MANY Remedies Proposed.

bEleI huhlyllCtll A4AhA u 1Vtuo Va Sao
Many Remedies Proposed.
New York Tribune: BY far the finest
illustration of the real character OF
much of the discussion about industrial
combinations Is found in the address Of
a prominent speaker at the Chicago
conference. He solemnly declared that
the concerns ought to be punished as
criminal for driving out middlemen and
small dealers. but II they would divide
profits with the woEkIngmen he would
declare himself in their favor, and
"they would be placed on an honest
and q popular and reasonable fOunda-
tlOn, and no one could complain or
Justly oppose It." Thus II would be a
crime for them to drive out middlemen
and small dealers unless they would
divide the spoil, but in that case It
would be highly praise-worthy.
Another. orator declared that mo
republic had ever survived the meree-
nary despotisn OF merchants and mo-
ney changers" but as he has held for
years that this same despOtism was
the thing In force, II may be said that
this republic has survived so far. An
other asserted that the thing first to be
done was to stop railroad discrlmina-
ton in favor OF combinations, and then
that every artificial advantage given
by the tariff should be removed" It
has not been explained by anybody how
railroad rates or tariff rates could pos
sIbly be framed so as not to give any
advantage to anybody. but II Il could
be done would the country gain by pay
l.. 90 far NnFfntF NV0Pk
instead of paying 1t TO American
workingmen?
II does not seem to be in the least de-
gree more moral or virtuous to commit
a crime for the beneflt Of certain cor
poratlons and their workingmen than
to commit 1t for the benefit OF the cor
porations only. Nor Is II percepttbly
easier to stop railway discrimination In
favor Of a company than to stop ex-
actly the same kind Of discrimination In
favor OF the largest Individual shippers
Of any particular kind OF product. This
latter sort OF discrimination has been
going on ever since railway transportn-
tlon began, and nobody has yet found
out how to prevent It. and It does not
distinctly appear that It is In any re-
spect n greater injury or wrong to the
public II the benefit goes to a corpora
ton tnan II II goes 10 uH lHulNiuual'
Also, II the courts should be asked TO
decide whether duty gave artificial
advantage" to combination or corpor-
alton, as against any individual or
company competing, would 1t not be
well to secure Democratic or free trade
Judges before beginning the trial?
An attorney general Of a western
state proposes a constitutional
amendment authorizing a graduated
income tax Of all corporations having o
monopoly in any business. It would
amuse his legal mind during his sum
mer vacation, II It is not ended, TO find q
corporation which has monopoly OF
anything. A legal definition does not
permit the taxation Of concern be-
cause somebody thinks It has "a prac-
tIcal control of the market" Some proof
Of that control would at least be need
ed. A tax on Industrial corporations In
proportion to their income tax would
not be half as popular, as tax direct
| ~ levied. with hostile intent, at the d.
abollcal holders Of so-called monopolles,
but 1t might be great deal more eftec-
tive in determining whether concern
did in fact secure extrnvagant profits
from the public or not.