The Somerset reporter., 1899-09-28
The Ohio Campaign.

Republicans have op"ned heir cam
.gn In Ohio, With monster rally at
Akron, saturday last. The speakers
were Judge Nash, the Republican NOM
/ inee for governor, and Governor Roose-
welt Of New York.
Gov. Roosevelt gave especial attention
to the Philippine question. and to the
attitude of the Republican party towards
trusts. La relation TO the latter he In
part said
I'VE propose TO meet the problem In
the only way 10 which it can he met, by
cool and careful study, by finding ont
what the facts are, and then by exhaust.
ing every legitimate power, legislative,
administrative and judicial, to regulate
the industrial movement and TO cut out
all abuses. Corporations (for what we
commonly call trusts are generally
merely big corporations) render great
services, and are indispensable instru-
ments of industry 10 our modern life !;
but their growth has been accompanied
by the growth of evils which we eau but
| remedy by common sense and common
| honesty--not demagogie outcry. Our
opponents say we have no plan. We
have and the plan Is, AS first step, TO
try the effect of publicity, and then to
supplement publicity by taxation, and
then by licensing or whatever measure
experience shows to be effective. Be-
fore hitting we must know exactly what
we are hitting at, and whether the blow
| will hurt more than IL helps.
1.-The first thing to do is to provide for
full investigation of and exhaustive re-
ports on all these corporations, es-
pecially all the corporations which have
grown to be of such pOrtentious dmen-
sons as to control any considerable por-
ton of n given trade, industry or produce
in short, all those corporations which
we mean when we speak of trusts. The
mere letting in of the light will in itself
cure many evils, especially those of
over-cap EQUALIZATION apd the undue sup
preston Of competition, aud as for the
evils that remain, when once we can see
them clearly and distinctly, the remedy
can readily be devised without entailing
upon the innocent and awful misery
which will surely follow any blind and
! ignorant attempt to smash parts of our
modern industrial machinery, without
taking the trouble TO find out their rea-
| llOls W our lHuuSllidi lllt llsell.
Let us find out every important de-
tail of the business of the great corpora
tious examined; the amount of stock ;
the amount of bonds; the terms upon
which issued; the salaries of the highest
employees; the wages and aggregate of
Wages paid to the others; the on put of
the product. aud the price At which il is
sold so that in each case we may find
whether he combination has resulted in
raising or diminishing productions; and,
in short. learn every detail which will
show exactly what the process has been.
Especially let us find out whether the
trusts have any unduly favored relations
with great transportation companies
whether tavOrs are shown them that are
not shown their smaller competitors in
violation of the spirit of our interstate
commerce legislation.
"Let us find out the facts fully, and
hen let US act on tn, 8, facts, by legis-
lative or executive action. Our oppo-
nents because the body is deceased,
threaten to use the knife before knowing
where the disease is. Ny plea is for the
diagnosis first. and then fer free u 9
of the knife, but an intelligent and not II
blind use.