Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-14
AS TO TRUSTS:
Congress Should Enact More Strin-
gent Laws for Their Control.

Combinations OF capital organized into trusts
to control the conditions of trade among our
citizens, to stifa competition, limit production
and determine the prices Of products used and
consumed by the people are justly provoking
attention of the congress.
The industrial commission. created by the
act of the congress of June is. 1898, has been
engaged in extended hearings upon the dis
puted questions involved in the subject of COM
binations in restraint of trade and competition.
They have not yet completed their inveStiga-
ton Of this subject and the conclusions and
recommendations at Which they may arrive
are undetermined.
The subject is giving rise to many di-
vergent views as to the nature and variety or
cause and extent of the injuries to the public
which may result from, large combinations con-
centratin5 more or less numerous enterprises
and establishments. which previouly to the
formation of the combination were carried on
separately.
1t is universally conceded that
combinations which enErOss or con-
trail of the market of any particular
kind of merchandise or commodity
necessary to the general community,
by suppressins natural and Or
binary competition. whereby prices
are unduly enhanced to the general
consumer, are obnoxious not only
to the common law but also to the
public welfare. There must be Il
remedy for the evils involved in
such organizations.
If the present law can be extended more
certainly to control or check these monopolies
or trusts, it should be done without delay.
Whateve: power the congress possesses over
this most important subject should be prompt
ly ascertained and asserted.
President Harrison, in his annual message
of Dec. 3, 1889, says
Earnest attention should be given by con-
gress to consid grafton of the question how
far the restraint of those combinations of
capital commonly called trusts is matter Of
federal jurisdiction. When organized, as they
often to crush out all healthy competition
and to monopolize the production or sale of
a IN
they are dangerous conspracies against the
public good and should be made the subject
of prohibitorv and even nenal legislation"
An Act to Protect Trade and Com
against unlawful restraints and mononolies
passed by congress on the Cd of July.
1890. The provisions of this statute are COM
prehensve and stringent. 1t declares every
contract or combination, in the form Of
trust or otherwise or conspiracy in the re-
straint of trade or commerce among the sew
eral states or with foreign nations, to be I'M
lawful 1t denominates as a criminal every
person who makes any such contract or en-
cages in any such combination conspiracy.
and provides a punishment by fine or impris-
onment. 1t invests the several circuit courts
of the United States with jurisdiction to pre-
vent and restrain violations of the act, and
makes it the duty of the several United
Of the attorney general. to institute proceed
ings in equity to prevent and restrain such
violations.
It further confers upon any person who
shall be injured in his business or property
by any other person or corporation by reason
of anything. forbidden or declared to be I'M
in any circuit court Of the United States
without respect to the amount in controversy,
and to recover three-fold the damages by him
sustained, and the costs of the suit, includ-
ing reasonable attorney fees 1t will be per-
ceived that the act is aimed at every kind of
combination in the nature of trust or mon
opoly in restraint of interstate international
commerce. The prosecution by the United
Has Been Frequently Resorted to
in the federal courts, and notable efforts in
the restraint of interstate commerce. such as
the trans missouri freight association and the
joint traffic association have been success
fully opposed and suppressed.
President Cleveland in his annual message
Of Des Z, 1S96-more than six years subse-
quent to the enactment of this law--after
stating the evils of these trust combinations,
says:
Though congress has attempted to deal
with this matter by legislation, the laws
passed for that purpose thus far have proved