El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-04-19
Trusts and Tariffs.

/ Buffalo Express
| The central thought of MIR. Var
Wyck's remarks on trusts in hi:
speech at the Jefferson Day banquet In
New York seems to be contained in the
following: "The tariff has been one
prolific source of monopoly, and the
monstrous misuse of the franchise Civ
ing power another. Our iron, steel,
coal and sugar trusts may be taken as
examples of what the tariff has
brought to pass, while in the consoli
dalton of our railroads, gas companies,
electric-light companies. we have IL
| Illustrations of what has been and is be-
ing accomplished under the legislative
power to bestow valuable public
rights upon private corporations. In
to the details of our existing tariff l
shall not enter at present. but l shall
challenge any of its supporters to
name q single considerable branch OF
industry over which it's so-called pro-
lection has been extended which ia not
now controlled by con:ederacy OF
conspirators against competition"
This has the familiar sound land no
one needs to be told that the paragraph
wound up with mention of tariff re-
FORM" Trusts were used as the great
argument for tariff reform in the old
Cleveland days and Mr.. Van Wyck
appears to think that they may do duty
again. The people learned when they
tried it that tariff reform could indeed
smash trusts-at least, some trusts
but only in the same way that it
smashed all industry. In fact, the
trusts were, as rule, the last enter
prise II yield under the hard times
pressure of the Cleveland administra-
ton. The stronger and more oppres-
sive of them did not yield at all, but
weathered the storm, Any attempt to
attack trusts through the tariff must
inevitably end in this way. Instead
Of facilitating competition with trusts,
q low tariff must destroy the possibility
of domestic competition before it can
seriously affect the trust.
Both the Mckinley law of 1890 and
the Wilson law of 1894 recognized that
trust must be dealt with by other
legislation than the mere fixing of
customs rates. Both had special trust
clauses. That of the Mckinley law
.ead:
"Sec l. Every contract. com bina-
ion in the form of trust or otherwise,
Or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or
commerce among the several states, or
With foreign nations, is hereby declar-
ID to be illegal. Every person who
hall make any such contract or en-
rage in any such com bination or con-
Sudll DS QSSuSu VI q |
and, on conviction
hereof, shall be punished by fine not
xcec ling 81, COO, or by imprisonment
lot exceeding one year, or by both
aid punishments, in the discretion of
he court.
"Sec. g. Every person who shall mono
ollie, or attempt to monopolize, or
omb1ne or conspire with any other
erson or person, to mouopolize any
art Of the trade or commerce among
be several states, or With foreign ma
ions shall be deemed guilty of mis-
emeRnor, and on conviction thereof.
hall be punished by fine not exceed
1g one year, of by both said punish
lents, in the discretion of the court.
''Sec, 3. Every contract, com bination
1 form of trust and otherwise, or cons
tracy. in restraint of trade or COM
lerce in any territory of the United
tates or of the District of Columbia,
r in restraint of trade or commerce
etween any such territory and an
Their, or between any such territory
r territories and any state or states or
ne Districtsof Columbia, or with for
ign nations, or between the District
Columbia and any state or states or
,reing pations, is thereby declared IL
,gal. Every person who shall make
ny such contract or engage in any
lch combination or conspiracy, shall
e deemed guilty of misdemeanor,
nd, on conviction thereof, shall be
lnished by fine, not exceeding S., ZOO, or
Y imprisonment not exceeding one