Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1899-09-21
THURSDAY. SEPT. 81, 1899.
TRUST DEFENDERS.

Burke Cochfane struck tender spot
on the trusts, at the trust conference
when he recommended publicity as a
ready remedy for the dishonest manage
ment OF corporations, that rob the inno-
cent stakeholder at the same time they
skin the general public. The publicity
suggested by Mr.. Cochran would prevent
the watering OF stock, the immense profits
OF which are the great attraction for the
trust organizer and underwater. Any
thing calculated to jar the sensibiites OF
trust magnates administers quite shock
to the Oregonian, and other trust defend
ers OF that stripe, so the mere suggestion
of law to prevent the piratical methods
of currupt corporations is sufficient to
jar the following illogical argument from
that able newspaper
elf corporations business is re-
CURED by law to be made public, shall
not a partnership business be made pub
lie? And il a corporation or partnership
must make its business public, snail not
a single individual, OF equal wealth and
power with the combinations OF small
owners he completes against, also be re-
quired to give his business the same
amount OF publicity? This is one OF the
questions to which the trust problem
gives rise, and which cannot be ignored"
The trouble with such statement is
that the maker assumes to forget that
corporation is a creation OF law, granted
special privileges and immunities not en-
joyed by individuals or partners. lie
pretends not to know that pententiaries
yawn for the dishonest individual, or
partnership of individuals, while cor
poration has neither a soul to he damned
nor person to be imprisoned even
though every stakeholder be deacon
II uiuSt HUI DC IcllCNcu tIdl tllc VIZ
gonan defends corrupt trusts through
fondness for them or their methods. The
astute editor OF that paper knows that
when trusts are being investigated, it is
the republican party that is on trial;
that the legislation OF that party since
the close OF the civil war has invariably
tended to draw the money from the pro-
ducing masses into the hands of the
specializing classes. Hence, when trusts
are assailed, republicans are forced to
their defence.
The Oregonan recognizes the fact that
the republican party is in complete con-
troll OF the government, and that it has
full power to squelch the trusts when
Yer it so desires. That able paper also
realizes that Mark Hanna is in complete
control OF the republican party machine; ;
that without the contributions of the
trusts the machine would 90 to peices,
and with it all hope OF republican sue
cess next year would disappear. This
state OF affairs places the republican
/ shouter in somewhat OF predicament.
They know that, to delude ignorant votes,
an antitrust plank will have to 90 into
the platform next year, although the
!. trusts must be defended as good thing
in order to remove the blame for the
creation OF an evil thing from the, already
overburdened, shoulders OF the party.
This phase of the political situation is
living cur republican friends nearly as
much trouble as the Mckinley war in
he Philippines Senator VIM. d. WASH
bDurn, OF Minnesota, in recent interview
n the New York Tribune took a serious
\ lew OF the question. He said, in part :
81 "There is one thing that greatly dis
lrbs me. The republican party, whether
lstly or unjusty, is associated with
'usts in the minds of the masses. AS a
I arty we have reached crisis where we
Il ave to call halt The republican