Washington sentinel., 1899-06-10
The President and the Trusts.

| tic hEuSlSJ knG OldLS SOhfCANAO'
having adopted a plank in which
hostility to these great industria
combinations is avowed. The sin
cerity OF the Ohio Republican
would have been more convinc
inglY demonstrated, however,
they had renominated Attorney
General Monnett, who has beer
making a most vigorous hight upor
the trusts under the laws of Ohio
1t is useless to denounce monopo.
lies and at the same time refuse tc
appoint law officers who will pros
ecute them, and the failure to re-
nominate Mr.. Monnett looks very
much as if he is to be disciplined
TOR invoking the law against influ-
enceS which are very powerful in
Ohio politics. That Senator
Hanna dominates the Republican
machine in Ohio is known OF all
men. Even so gallant a fighter
as Senator Foraker found this out
to his sorrow when he undertook
70 challenge Mr.. Hanna's suprem-
acy at the State Convention. 1t is
we'll known fact that Senator
Hanna has no quarrel with the
trusts and that he does not regard
them as dangerous to the public
welfare. The Senator has admit
ted as much in an interview re-
Gently published, in which his
views were stated at length. I'm
der the circumstances, therefore,
denunciation OF trusts by a con-
vention which Mr.. Hanna controls
will probably not cause the Ohio
monopolists any great concern,
especially in view OF the fact that
the Attorney General who has
given them most trouble has not
been renominated,
Assuming, however, that the
Ohio Republicans are sincere and
that the anti trust plank in their
platform is an honest expression
OF their views, it would seem that
President Mckinley should not
remain Indifferent o the evils Of
which the Republicans Of his own
State complain. II the State con-
ven ions condemnation OF trusts
is not purely Pickwickian, and if
the President is satisfied that he
can carry Ohio next year, even if
he does hit the trusts hard blow.
the time has come for such action
as will convince those who are
suffering from the operations of
the trusts that they have a cham
pion at the White House who will
help them. Why should President
Mckinley hesitate, when Congress
meets, to send a message to that
body pointing out and advocating
the only method by which the
trusts can be destroyed The
weapon that can be used most
effectively is the tariff, and as the
Republican party has a majority
in both houses of Congress there
is no reason why it should wait
upon the courts, while the trusts
become stronger every day. II
the President should recommend
a modification Of the present tariff
act, which promotes monopoly and
enables combinations in restraint
Of trade to oppress consumers, he
would do more to convince the
people Of the sincerity Of his
party's pledges than all the plat.
forms which the most ingenious
politicians can devise. If he and
his party are willing to let the
trusts continue to grow through
the tariff policy which the Repub-
lican party has established Repub-
lican orators NAV condemn do
mestic monopolies every day in the
year, but their clamor will deceive
no one. A Republican Admins
tration has the power to destroy
the trusts now. and if it evades the
responsibility it will not be for
lack of opportunity.
One Of the Presidents friends in
the monopoly line is the Tin Plate
Trust. 1t is fair type of all the
other trusts which have thrived on
a protective tariff. 1t had existed
for some time prior to its incorpo-
ration in December, 1898. In an
article in the Review Of Reviews
Mr.. Byron w. Holt shows that it
was created by and is sustained
)y the prohlbitory duty levied on
the foreign product. Last Decem
Der il sold 100 pounds OF tin plae
at profit for Ss,9O In January
the price went up to SS 40. in Feb
ruary to S3.4s and in March to
s4.Io. In three months the trust
increased the price OF its product
over 40 per cent. In England tin
plate can be bought TODAY for