Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-18

The widespread discussion of the trust
problem by the people at conventions and
in the newspapers must. of course, be sup
plemented by action by the law-making
and the Iaw-executiug agencies of govern
ment in order to evolve practicable rem
edy for the growing menace of commercial
and trade combinations Such remedies, it
is believed. are within reach. 1t is now
understood that President Mckinley is sat
istied that remedy can be found and,
furthermore, that it must be found in order
to check the evil and to restore balance to
the Industrial conditions in this country
1t is forecasted confidently by those close
in touch with the administration that
the President intends to present the mat
ter TO the attention of Congress in his
forthcoming annual message. in such man
ner as to afford reasonable expectation of
positive action by that body.
As Controller Dawes said in his Boston
address last night. Congress must attack
the subject in order to supplement the laws
already in existence and to narrow the
chance Tor evasion. Should federal legis-
lation fail 10 accomplish the desired result
the states must act in harmony to attain
the two chief ends toward which the peo-
PIES demands now tend: To prevent fur
Their concentration of commercial power
and To foster competition. Mr.. Dawes, who
brings to the subject much careful thought
and whose address is a close analysis of
the subject. reaches the conclusion that
the falling Of prices. which has heretofore
marked the course of some Of the trusts,
is by no means permanent result of such
combinations. but IS an incident in the pro-
cess Of killing competition. In fact, the
lowering Of prices is one of the trusts
After this process has been carried to the
point of absolute concentration the trusts
Will have it in their power to regulate
prices solely in response to the caprice of
avarice-
IL remains to be seen whether in his mes
sage the President will content himself
with merely throwing the matter before
Congress with an urgent recomme ndation
for remedial action. or will go further and
propose specific legislation. Thus far there
is a dedrth Of precise remedies which APP
peal to the intelligence of the people as
promising positive results in the near flu
ture. although there have been many sug
gestions- Mt. Dawes believes that action
may be had with excellent results in at
least one direction, namely. through a
strengthening and a rigid enforcement Of
the interstate commerce law. to prevent
Determinations in favor of the large com
hInations. In general terms the reform is
expected 10 lie along the line of restricting
capitalization. preventing the watering of
stock and requiring frequent and reliable
reports Of the operations of each of the
trusts AT the same time it is suggested
that taxation on a sliding scale. proper
Tomato to the capital involved, imposed
either by state or federal laws, will put Il
premium upon the continued existence of
the smaller concerns. The field is so broad
that the President. should ne venture to
propose particular means. will be embar-
raised chiefly by the abundance Of theories
as To- the hest mode of procedure.