The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-14

him sustained and the costs of the sui
including reasonable attorney fees.
Will be perceived that the act is aime
at every kind Of combination in tn
nature OF trust Of monopoly in re
stralnt OF Interstate or inGernationa
| commerce.
Prosecution by the United States G
o1fenses under the act of 1890 has bee
frequently resOrted to in the Fedora
courts, and notable efforts ia the re
stra1nt OF Interstate commerce, suc]
as the trans Missouri Freight associa
tion and the Joint Traffic association
nave been successfully opposed AM
suppressed.
President Cleveland in his annua
message of December z, lS96-mor,
than six years subsequent to the en-
actmont of this law-af:nr stating tho
evils of the trust combinations says:
though Congress has attempted tt
deal with this matter by legislation
the laws passed for the purpos thu,
far have proved Ineffective, not be
cause OF any lack Of disposition or at
tempt to enforce them, but simply be
cause the laws themselves as inter
| preted by the courts do rot reach the
dlfticulty. Ii the insuificiencies OF ex
listing laws can be remedied by further
| legislation, 1t should be done. The
fact must be recognized, however, that
all Federal Legislation on this subect
may fall short Of it's purpose, because G
of inherent obstacles and also because
OF the complex character of our gov.
ernmental system, which, while max
| Ing the Federal authority supreme
| within It's sphere, has carefully limited
| that sphere by metes and bounds
when cannot be transgrcssed. The
| occasion or our highest court on this
precise question renders it quite doubt.
full whether the evils OF trusts and
monopolies can be adequately treated
through Federal action, unless thew
seek directly and purposely to include
IN their objects transportation or in
tcrcnurse between States or between
the United States and foreign cour.
tries.
1t does not follow, however, that
this is the limit of the remedy. that
may be applied. Even though it NAV
% found that Federal authority is not
broad enough to fully reach the case,
there can be no doubt of the power of
the several States to act effectively in
the premises, and there should be no
reason. TO doubt their Willingness to
Judlclously exercise such power"
The State legislation to which Pres.
idept cleveland looked for relief from
tie sylls vi the trusts has failed to &C.
probably due to great extent to the
fact that different States take different
views as to the proper way to discri-
inmate between evil and Injurious CON-
blnatlons and those associations which
are beneficial necessary to the business
prosperity of the country. The great
diversity OF treatment in different
States arising from this cause and the
Immediate relations Of all parts of the
country to each other without regard
ing State lines in the conduct Of busi-
ness have made the enforcement of
State laws difficult.
1t is apparent that uniformity of
legislation upon this subject in the
several States Is much to bs desired,
II ls to be hoped that such uniformity
founded In wise and just discrimina-
tlon between what is injurious and
what Is useful and necessary in bust.
ness operations may be obtained and
that means may be found for the Con-
gress within the limitations of its
constitutions power 80 to supplement
an. etfective code OF State legislation
so as to make complete syetem of
laws throughout the United States
adequate to compel general obser-
vance OF the salutary rules to which
we have referred.
The whole question is 80 important
and far-reaching that 1 am sure no
part Of 1t will be lightly considered
but every phase Of of it will have the
studied deliberation of Congress, re-
sulting In wise and judicious action.
THE PENSION ROLL.
On the 30th of June, 1899, the pen.
cir Nff
hered 99l,5l9. These include the pen
sioners Of the army and navy in all our
wars. The number added to the rolls
during the year was 4O,991. The NUN
ber dropped by reason of death, re-
marriage, minors by legal Limitation,
failure to claim within three years and
other causes were 43, 1856, and the num-
ber of claims disallowed was 1O7,910.
During the year 80, 634 pension certifi.
Gates were issued, of which 37,O77
Werc for new or original pensions. The
amount disburscd for army and navy
pensions during the year was S138, ,355,-
O5295, which was 81 ,65l ,46l 81 less than
the sum OF appropriations.
The Grand Army OF the Republic,
at It's recent national encampment,
held at Philadelphia, has brought to
my attention and to that Of the Con.
gross tne WlsuOm ana justice OF q mOdt-
tication OF the third section OF the act
OF June 27, 1890, which provides pon.
slons for the widows Of officers and en-.
listed men who serve ninety days or
more during the war of the rebellion
and were honorably discharged, pro.
vided that such widows are without
other means OF support than their
daily labor and were married to the
soldier, sailor or marine, on account of
whose service they claim pension prior
to. the, date of the act.
The present holding OF the depart.
ment 10 that II the widows income,
aside from her daily labor, does not
exceed In amount what her pension
would; be, to-wit, $96 per annum, she
would be doomed to be without other
means OF support than her daily labor.
and would be entitled. to a pepsion
under. this act, while II the widows in
come, Independent OF the amount re-
ceived7,b by her as the result of her dsllv
labor, she would not be pensionable
under the act. 1 am advised 5y the
commissioner OF pensions that the
amount of the income allowed before
titla npnainp bo