Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-12-13

certain and economical Those now
authorized have the virtue neither OF
directness nor economy. We have al
ready eliminated one OF the causes of
our financial plight and embarrassment
during the years 1898 1894. 1895 and
1896. Our receipts now equal our ex-
penditures: deficient revenues no
longer create alarm. Let us remove
the only remaining causes by confer
ring the full and necessary power on
the secretary of the treasury and I'M
pose upon him the duty to uphold the
F present gold standard. and preserve
the coins of the two metals on
7 parity with each other. which is the
repeatedly declared policy OF the Uni
ted States.
In this connection / repeat my for
mer recommendations that portion OF
f the gold holdings shall be placed i'm a
trust fund from which greenbacks
snail be redeemed upon presentation.
Dut when once redeemed shall not
thereafter be paid out except for gold.
Value OF Merchant Marine.
The value Of an American merchant
/ marine to the extension of our COM
mercial trade and the strengthening
or our power upon the sea invites the
immediate action of the congress. Our
national development will be one
slNeu anu unsatisfactory so long as the
remarkable growth OF our inland in
dustries remains unaccompanied by
I progress on the seas. There is no
lack OF constitutional authority for
legislation which shall give TO the
country maritime strength cOmmen-
surate with its industrial achievements
and with its rank among the nations
OF the earth. The past wear has re-
corded exceptional activity in our shin
/ yards. and the promises OF continual
/ prosperity in shipbuilding are abund-
ant Advanced legislation for the pro-
/ lection of our selmen has been en-
/ acted Our coast trade. under rcgula-
/ tons wisely framed at the beginning
/ OF the government and since. shows re-
I suits for the post FISCAL wear UNEQUAL
/ ed IN our records of those of o0v other
/ power. We shall f9u 10 realize our
/ opportunities however IL Ne COM
/ pioisautly Tc-.r1 oa'- matters at
home and blind ourselves TO the neces-
/ slty OF securing our share in the val
liable carrying trade OF she world.
Chapter on Trusts.
Combinations OF capital organized
/ into trusts 20 control the conditions OF
/ trade among our citizens. 10 stile COM
+ petition. limit production aud de.er-
mine the prices OF products used and
consumed by the people are Justly
+ pfoNchinS public discussion. and
should early claim the attention of
/ the congress.
+ The industrial commission created
/ hy the act of the congress of June Is.
lSSS. has been engaged in extended
hearings upon the disputed questions
/ involved in the subject OF combina-
uons in restraint OF trade and COM
/ petition. They have not yet completed
/ their investigation of this subject. and
/ the conclusions and recommendations
/ at which they may arrive are unde-
/ termined
II is universally conceded that COM
binations which engross or control the
market Of any particular kind of mer-
| chandise or commodity necessary to
I the general community by sunnress-
/ ing natural and ordinary competition.
/ whereby prices are undulv enhanced
( 10 the general consumer are obnoxious.
not only TO the common law. hut also
to the public welfare. There must be
a remedy for the evils evolved in such
/ organizations. II the present law can
/ be extended more certainly to con-
4 troll or check these mOnopolies or
/ trusts IT should be done without delay.
I Whatever power the congress pos
sesses over this most important sub
1ect should be promptly ascertained
/ and asserted.
/ President Harrison's message Of
/ Dec. J, 1889. is then quoted and Presi-
/ dent Mckinley proceeds:
An act TO protect trade and COM
merce against unlawful restraints and
monopolies was passed by congress on
the 2d of July 1890. The provisions
or this statute are comprehensive and
stringent. 1t declares every contract
] in ha
or otherwise. of conspiracy in the re-
straint of trade or commerce among
/ the several states OF with foreien ma
| tiOns to be unlawful. Ii denOminate9
as Il criminal every person who makes
/ any such contract or engages In any
/ such combination or conspiracy. and
/ provides a punishment by fine or i'm
| prisonment 1t further confers upon
any person who shall he injured in his
business or property by any other per-
son or corporation by reason of any
| thing forbidden or declared 10 be un-
/ lawful by the act the power to sue
/ therefor in any circuit court OF the
| United States without respect To the
amount in controversy. and So recover
/ threefOld the DAMAGES by him sus-
tained and the costs of the suit. includ-
/ ing reasonable attorney fees Ii will
/ be perceived that tie act is aimed at
every kind of combination in the ma
i ture of trust or monopoly in re-
straint Of interstate or international
| commerce.
The chapter on trusts closes with
quotation from the message Of Pres
ident Cleveland of Dec. :. 1896. declar-
ing the laws passed for their suppres-
sion ineffective. President Mckinley
then urges uniformity of legislation on
the part OF the several states. The
message proceeds.
Our Foreign Relations.
A review of our relations with for
eign states is presented with such rec
concentrations as are deemed appropri-
! ate.
The long pending boundary dispute
! between the Argentine Republic and
| Chile was settled in March last by the
award of an arbitral commission. on
which the United States minister at
! Buenos Ayres served as umpire
Progress has been made toward the
/ -. a.