The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-10
LEGISLATION IS RESPONSIBLE.

One OF the most conservative men in
America Is Hon. Joseph u. Sayers, Gov
ernor of Texas He is an upbuilder. a
CONSERVATION, n statesman. lie has not
the shifty demagogue He would stand
10 the death in defence of the just rights
OF capital. He would brook the will of
the masses when wrong. He has the
confidence of honest men in all walks OF
life.
As Governor of Texas and chairman of
the Appropriations committee in the
Federal House of Representatives Mr.
Saycrs has given much study to the pro-
blems Of government as they relate to
commerce, and has sought to find
remedy for trusts which he truly regards
as outlaws of commerce" At the last
session OF the Texas Legislature, Gov
ernor Sayers urged the adoption Of Il
stringent antitrust law and it is now
on the statute books of that State Real
lZl1lR tndJ one OF TWO CtaltH diohe cannon
suppress the trusts. and that the Federal
government will not help as long rs Me
Kinley remains in the White House.
Gov. Savers is seeking to secure the
united cooperation of many States to
uproot the trusts. To this end he has
requested the Governors and Attorney
Generals OF the all the States to attend
conference shortly to be held at St
Louis. 1t is to be hoped that it viii be
largely attended and that the dclibera-
tons will devise means to wage a sue
cessful warfare upon the illegal com
binations which are destroying individ-
ualism, denying fair chance in the race
of life. robbing consumers and producers
and putting the very government itself
in the hands of small syndicate Of
money lords who have enriched them
selves by the arts of the buccaneer.
Legislation cam end the trusts. In
recent article I'M the North American
Review Gov Savers, writing on this
phase of the trust question says:
IF, under the trust reign. the indus
tries of the country be passing into the
hands Of the few, If the products Of
other lands be so heavily taxed as to
be. in a great measure, denied entrance
into our ports, and oar people be there
by compelled to buy and use only those
manufactured at home. if the cost OF
production and distribution is being re-
duced TO the minimum, if the output is
being so regulated as not to exceed a.
given quantity, and its selling price de-
termned by the trust exclusively. if the
small dealers are being put under duress-
as to those from whom and as to what
they may buy. and as to how they may
sell. if individual effort be no longer
able to compete successfully with cor
porate power and corporate advantage,
If young and weak industries are being
strangled to death, and the establish
ment of new and independent enterprises
prevented, it cannot be doubted that for.
this untoward and unhealthy condition OF
industrial and commercial life legislation
is, in large degree, responsible. If the
trusts shall be permitted to organize and
to operate as for the last several years
the result is certain that a more disas.
trous panic than has ever been known
will sooner or later occur. Much of the
stock issued by these organizations is
entirely fictitious and does not represent
real capital Money lenders will some
day refuse to recognize it as safe secur-
ity, and then the storm will burst forth
in all its fury. Under such circum-
stances. what is the duty of government?
To it do trusts and corporations, either
directly or indirectly, owe their being
and upon it. therefore, rests the obliga
ton to see to it that they. its creatures
shall not harm the people"