The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-20
GOV. ROGERS ON TRUSTS.
IT IS THE OLD QUESTION or LABOR
AND CAPITAL, HE SAYS

State Liquidation to Control Trusts Will
Prove Intellectual, He Tells Gov. SayeTs
of Texas Constitutional Right Of Corpor-
ations and Individuals to buy and Sell.
AUSTIN Tex, June 10.-Gov Sayers received
n letter to-day from Gov. j. Il. Rogers OF the
State Of Washington concerning the antitrust
movement. Gov. Roger' says 1t will be impos-
sible for him to attend the proposed conference
Of Governors and Attorney Generals to be held
at st. Louis on Sept 20 and continues:
1T has occurred to me in this connection
TINT many people are favoring State control OF
trusts with insincerlty. thinking in this way TO
pass through the next national campaign with
safety to themselves. feeling cure that what
ever State legislation may be enacted which
will really curb the power Of trusts will even
.ually BE- declared unconstitutional by the
United states Supreme Court. With those
who thus and for this purpose advocate state
legislation regarding trusts can have no SYM
pathy and am bound to believe. too. that
legislative action which seeks TO control the
formation and management OF trusts VIII
prove nefTectual.
leading when applied to great many indus
trial Omhinations now threaten Ing the pros
called trusts are merely larger corporations.
1t has occurred to mo that corporations will be
right to buy and sell. Clearly it seems to mo
that corporations. as well as natural persons.
have n right to buy. and hence n right
to sell. whatever is offered for sale in the
market II a sufficient weight OF capital he
employed, a, corporation or a natural person
has the ability and the constitutional right
to buy all nf certain product offered
for sale and this will unlucstionab bly, operate
TO fix the prize at which such product will in
future be sold. We can see that as in tho
cnsc az that parent Of trusts. the Standard
Oi! C9mpany the power to my ana sen pos
to regulate the price at which oil will be sold.
The Standard OH Company mus gets the
power 10 drive out of business all competitors.
and in this way to establish tho price for
which their product must be sold
" am at a loss to see. too. how the moral
and fundamental right uf either natural or cor
pprate persons to buy and sci can be interfered
with by legal enactment, under our Constitu-
ton For these reasons ! eau see no remedy
for the trust evil save public ownership. The
new question Of trusts is really the very cd
one Of capital against labor. or. stated diner
entity. the attempt Of the almighty dollar to
secure entir" supremacy in tn" AFFAIRS of men.
There is In all this an irrepressihle conflict
which. will not down at the bidding OF any
State legislature.
Gov William A. Stone Of PENNSYLVANIA writes:
81 will I've glad to give this matter the consid
srat ion to which il is entitled coming from one
for whom have so high regard and respect
"a Yourself. formed through several years OF
close intimacy a. Il member ~ the Congras-
such ability and fairness. ! will take the mat
ter up with the Attorney General of our state
and give it full consideration.
The private secretary OF the Governor OF Ore
gon writes that he j. directed by the Gov
ernor to say that he looks uron the proposed
antitrust conference with favor and is willing
to cooperate in the endeavor to bring about
the desired result.