The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1899-05-11
A SPECIAL MESSAGE.
Rov. stephens Calls Attention 60 shs
Trusts, DeHouneiHE Them as N
Menace 90 Commerce.

Gov. stephens recently sent the fols
lowing special message, urging hostile
legislation against the trusts, TO ths
general assembly, and 1t was read In
both houses:
To the Senate and House 81 Reprcsenia-
uyes. Tho prrHsut anti.truat laNH OF his-
Souri are fairly well designed 70 control
combines and trusts. which sock 10 fix and
maintain prices only. Tito legal means 20
enforce these laws afr not IN as good
ahapc un they should be. hut tho present
antitrust laws Of our state are intdcQnats
20 reach these combinations or trusts
, fsch attempt 90 crush competition BY the
mr nsiscra uf the Irust boycuttinE non
Thcrs bns been INTRODUCED in the senate
Hud passed by the anti.tguHt law known
aH ~" NthAl"y hiil IL y saiA by e"in!'s'-
tunEiuiriy afiHptusi IN Hpuutitiy ruaaef "a
trust ann control ftr operations an
nnt udmout to the th'i was offered Ia tho
house b. Mr. Hamilton. chairHian Of TIE
crmuilttr" on criminal iuriEprut"ncc, 20
as 20 reach trusts that control comrctl-
uuu b. means of "a boycott Ihe amend
Hyut vas adopted. aud ir So ndnpicd hs
Rot 20 Interfere ~ith asy OfEaHiGatiuu CaT-
ry,uE on "a legitimate businrts II Rasp-
CtHiiaus ana organizations arc not Cuu-
TROLLING thr eiWpei!ti1u the Amcnlmcut
VIII Urt affect them. II they are engaged
iu combining 20 limit competition, suCh
organization should be- amcnablo to the
antitrust laws uf Missouri
There - ! as.s Informed. : Representa-
uNr uf an organization operating at tha
stock yards at kAuHta CITY here opposing
the til AH amended
n tho orranizatlon ha represents aoes
not control competition tho measure VIII
nuf rrIrA said Hsluyiltluu. Hut " tho as
tguia'iuu hn belongs Co 1o.r limit cumpeti-
uuu. then such uEsuri tluu should b. SUBJ
jsci to tho antitrust laws tho same a. any
other trust.
Hut the general assembly can not. IN my
opinion. afford tp adjourn without ruact-
luE "a las un this subject ,mhulH ms tho
Lr.hciFl'e and remedies emhutlni in the
Whairy BILL The public mind o. all dt-
yr,t,i foNurd tho enactment aud ouforcc-
mont uf antitrust lass The state u Mis-
HHnfi. occupying na prominent o. FusltiJn
oH u docs in the Union, eau not afford to
not have ON ~ statute books ample ROM
CdirE Co protect iia citizens IN pursuing
any legitimate calling they may wish tu
follow Co Procure livelihood Tor the'n-
EUthrs uHd families. free from restraints
sH3 h1yCu;iE and impoziii0n ~ trusts aud
combines
The recent decisions ~ tho supreme
court ul tho United States show clearly
lhgt by reason ~ limited powers of thu
federal government. it is unable Go com
prtr With these commercial vampires.
The rHtcreign states alone possessing Bll
tnr reserved powefH ot thr pvnpio have
matters
The aggregation " cuuital with the Wow
ol creating 1 practical monopoly is iha
mes, prominent feature of th' Industrial
Conditions OF the present
III" closing decades ~ the century VIII
g. into history as the trust period as thu
ilIug 70 which the trust took form anu an
sgm"d IT, gigantic PROPORTIONS
|hr -ipE uf capital ana of business
organizations has created revolution In
The business ot the country,
ono OF the effects uf this change Is q
large !ucrCnsc IN the produrtlycness of
capital thus employed. while tho profits ~
lhe small producers arc proparti0nately
Il makes a servant and cmployc Of tine
former independent
ltg tendency Is 20 degenerate the great
tuics the strength and stability II Our
poiitic1i institutions, TO the position OF
employees.
a system adapted 10 unduly Increase tho
wealth uf the rich ami uutusty diminish
inE the resources OF the masses IS a ma
tl9ual evil This trust system will anou
wipe nut commercial freedom and enact
N lts psaee eomiaerclal slavery % tho
maRE#a. Personal freedom and human
liberty ean Hns iegfw rxfas EhFfo rnnffnaf-
cial slavery raignE supreme
The following weli-conHiderrd thoughts
from an article In law periodical are
very timely;
but, whilo our pubIicisis had hardly
whetted their swords to meet this ques-
tiOn. we arr confronted with now mon
stcf thousand times moro Terrible f.v-
cry student knows how corporations have
grown from a mouaatic Institution e. tho
prfdomiuunc" ihuY now occupy On tho
business world, but American Ingenuity
has Invented n legal machine which may
swallow hundred corporation or hun.
drcd thousand individuals: and then. with
tho corporate irr.NpOnatbility their tr,lta..
power be stored. llko a dynamo. ii parta-
bic compass, and welded by one or two
men, Not oven amuunhlo 60 the re-
atrainls, nf corporation law. these trusts
mal realise the satanic ambition Infinite
AMI irresponsible powers FREQ OF check or
conscience. Corporations are had enough:
growth ~ law that a legal idea. IA INN
n.tcly diner from thuac that mako nosai.
bic It's greater development: hut the trtlet
ls % the corporation what the mltraiIlcuse
ir to "a hiundcrbusa"
IN conclusion. ] urge you 60 promptly
pass the needed Hesitation ou this cues.
zion. Respectfully
Ion Y gTEpsfFNu e..