The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-27


common honesty--not demagogic cutlery.
Our opponents say we have no plan.
We have: and the plan is, as first
step. to try the effect of puIblicity, anu
then to supplement publicity 10y taxa
ton. and then by licensing or whatever
measure experience shows TO be effec-
actlv What we .Se hitting at, and
whether the blow will hurt more than
II helms. The first thing to- do is 10
provide for full Investigation of and
exhaustive report ON aid these corpora
tons. especially all the corporations
which have grown to be of slich pof-
tentious dimensions as to controi any
considerable portion of a given trade.
industry or produce-in short, all those
corvpoT.ations which we mean when We
sneak of trusts. The mere letting IN OF
light will in itself cure many evils, es'
pecially those of over-capitallZatlon anu
the undue suppression OF competflon'
and as for the evils that remaln, when
once we can see them clearly AMID dis
tinctly. the remedy can readily be de-
yised without entaiEng upon the ammo
cent the awful misery that will surely
follow any blind and ignorant attempt
to smash parts of our modern mdustlEal
machinery, without taking the troubie
to find out their relations to our indus
trial life itself.
Let us find ont every important de-
tail of the business of the great corpora
tons examined: the amount of stock; the
amount of bonds; the terms upon which
issued: the salaries of the highest EN-
ployees: the wages and aggregate OF
wages paid to the others; the output
of the product, and the price ut which
it is Sold so that in each case we
may find whether the combination mas
resulted in raising or diminishing prodnc-
tion, and i'm short learn every detail
which will show exactly what the rra-
cess has bern. Especially let us lind
out whether the trusts have amy undnlf
favored relations with great transaor-
tation companies: whether favors are
shown them that are mot shown th"if
smaller competitors. i'll violation OF the
spirit of our interstate commerce 'csiS
lation. Let us find out the facts fuliy,
and them let us act ON these facts. by
legislative or executive action. Orr
onmonents. because the body lis diseased,
tbreaten to use the knife before know
inc where the disease is. My plea IS
for the dia gnosis first, and then for 4
free use of the knife, but an intelligent
and not a blind use. A surgeon who 40
yocates remedy not to cure disease,
hut to secure patient. would be barred
from associating with every reputable
member of the medical profession. so
If should he with the politicrani who
treats an economic evil as material out OF
which to make political capital wholly
regardless OF the fact that by the course
they advocate they will bring d@sas-ar
to the body polite. Yet this IS exactly
what our opponents are DONG.
This sounds very we'll upon first read
ING but upon examination it will be seen
that ii is but a skillful jargon OF words
which promise nothing at all. 1t is
phrases, phrases, phrases nothing else
Let us see If the trusts need to fear the
programme outlined. The plan is one OF
publicity first. We are not told how
long that plan is to be adhered TO before
it is to be supplemented by taxation,
and then by licensing Indeed we are
told that what we commonly cali trusts
are generally big corporations and OF
course not even the plan of publicity is
to be undertaken rs TO them. Governor
Roosevelt says THAT we must not pro-
coed against the trusts until we nave
full information, and from the tenor OF
his remarks we take it that he world
be ian no hurry about getting the infor-
nation or acting upcn it. After it Was
obtained what assurance does he give
that trusts would be proceeded against!
He says in one place:
Especially let lis find ont whether
the trusts have any undally favored
relations with great transportation
companies; whether faycgs are
shown them that are not shown
their smaller competitors
Why does Governor Roosevelt wish 10
wait to ascertain what all the world
knows? LIZ he Will 90 to the records he
wal find AN abundance Of proof that the
Standard Oil Company enjoys not only
lower rates than are given amy indie
pendent oil company but that the New
York Central, Erie and Pennsylvania
railroads give rebate to the Standard
Oil Company on all oil shipments made
by independent companies 1t was the
special rates and rebates given by tbese
railroads that enabled the STANDARD Oil
Company to destroy ITS competitors. The
evidence TO establilSa this was taken
by special ecgIfnliEdee appointed by the
New York Legislature. How many times
does Governor Roosevelt want the dis
elimination proved before he viii begin
to act! The truth is, as every candid
man can see, the Republican PLAN Is ore
Of postponement, evasion, quibbling and
doing nothing.
The Republican party never meets any
issue squarely. In 1896 it tonight for gold
while publicly declaring itself for BIZ
metaEsm; this year it is fighting Tor
imperialism while pretending only to he
devoted to the flag; and 1T is fighting