The morning news., 1899-05-27
THE ANTI-TRusr BANQUET.

The great antitrust banquet at ST. Louis
! on Thursday night was an indication that
the Democratic party intends 90 make
the trust question a leading one in the
approaching presidential campaign. The
principal speech was made by Mr.. Bryan.
and he dealt with the trust evil in all of
it's various phases He understands that
there is a strong and growing feeling
against trusts, and that the Democratic
party could do the country no greater ser
vice than to find a way for crushing
them While he didn't say as much, 10
is not improbable that he regards it as
pretty certain that the Democratic ma
tional convention will make opposition to
trusts the chief plank in the Democra tic
platform next year. IL that were done
the chances are that the differences in
the Democratic party would be healed and
that the party would present a united front
TO the Republican party in the presiden-
tlal contest.
Mr.. Croker, 1t will be remembered, sug-
gested several months ago that the Demo-
cratic party should make opposition to
trusts and home rule for cities the lead
ing planks in its platform in the national
contest of 1900 Mr.. Bryan would never
consent, of course, to drop the silver is
sue, but he might be willing to let II be
pushed into the background if he thought
it was an obstacle to party unity, and
that a united party was essential to sue
cess.
The point may be raised that there are
difficulties In the way of making opposi-
ton TO trusts a great national issue, for
the reason that the power to deal with
trusts is lodged in the states rather than
in the nation-in state legislatures, and
not in Congress. That is the position which
was taken by Attorney General Griggs In
published interview some time ago. He
didn't refer to railroads which cross state
lines nor to the national banks, which Mr.
Bryan calls the money trust. He referred
to the industrial trusts from whose exac-
tions the people are now demanding re-
lief
Some of the states appear TO have ac-
cepted the Attorney Generals view. Ar
kansas and Texas, for instance, have en-
acted antitrust laws. That of Texas is
most drastic one. The Texas Governor
proposes to send.a copy of it to each of
the other Southern states, with request
that 1t be made law of the state.
If antitrust legislation really belongs
to the states the promoters of trusts might
charge that an effort to get federal legis
lation against trusts was a movement In
the direction of centralization-an attempt
to take from the states power which right
ly belongs TO them and give 1t to the CEN
trail government
But even if the power to deal with trusts
is lodged In the governments of the states
rather than in the national government
opposition to them can be made a ma
tional issue, though perhaps not quite so
effective one as if Congress had the right
TO deal with them. 1t is certain that If
the power to restrain them is possessed
by the states, and not by the general gov
ernment there win be no uniformity in
antitrust legislation. In some of Che
states trusts find a congenial home and
will continue to do So Still, it is certain
that war on trusts will be waged, though
as yet it is not entirely clear along what
lines the contest win be carried on.