The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-10-24
TRUSTS.


Congressman Henderson Of Iowa and
prospective speaker OF the house de-
iivered an address at Waterloo, iowa,
last Saturday, in which he placed him.
salt at one with the D zmocratic leader,
Mr.. Bryan, On the trust question. so
far at least as the matter Of securing
legislation looking to the control Of the
trust is concerned. Coming from Mr..
Henderson at this tim9, it may be
taken as the proposed policy of the
maj ority party in cong1es Mr.. Hen
derson, among other things, said: Il
think it would be much better to have
federal legislation, 80 that the treat
ment of these combinations might be
uniform throughout the nation, than
to have the peculiar views OF each
state cry stalliz9d into law for the
treatment of combinations. Bat to
reach this by federal legislation more
power must be given to congress than
/ am able to find in the constitution Of
the Uaited States. This is not at all
impossible. l believe that congress
will ultimately act on the matter for
the protection Of the people, and | be
lieve that the several g ates would
promptly ratlfy a Constitutional
amendment looking to the accomplish,
ment of this important end. Such an
amendment must be ms carefully
considered. It is no easy task to frame
one and TO legislate hereunder 80 as
to reach the desired results without
too much centraliZ alton Of power in
the general government and without
encroecning upon the power of the
states"
We are glad to have Mr.. Henderson
place himself in line with those who
believe the people have a right TO deal
with the trust. But M. Henderson,
it will be obs 3rv8d, is not over conf
dent of results, and we fear that those
who put their faith in LEGISLATION of
the kind suggested by Mr.. Bcyau and
Nj. Henderson will be grievousIy dis
appointed. There are great interests,
not merely personal or commercial,
but sociological and broadly political,
which have to do with this q gestion,
and when it comes to their discussion
the way here poiated out must be re-
jected il democratic institutions are to
be preserved. Dealing with the trust
is not to be along the lines of repress
i've legislation; that is not only impos-
sible, but it is not right. The question
frat to be determined relates to the
end origin of the trust. Is it
true that the trust is based upon
privilegeG Il it is, then the
obvious thing to do is to destroy
privilege. The thing that oh
scures this ques ion at this moment is
the fact that sC-called trusts are form
ed that do not rest upon special. priv
lege. Bat this will be found true: that
these non special privilege trusts will
fall the first victims of free competi-
ton. if not before, certainly the mo
special privilege is destroyed IN
the cas- of the others. We believe it
will be found that legislation along the
urged by CIV. r Josevel5 and
which was enacted into Law by the late
New York Legislature under the title
Of the Ford Law will prove effective.
In other words, il ia a ques ion Of taxa.
EiOr and ~ sOnoio1 nrivjto0a ia fcvod %o
it's value, as it ought by every right to
be in q land OF equal opportunity, the
trust will soon pass away or be quietly
taken over by the people and run in !
the interest of all the people. And the
only legislation necessary to accomp-
lish this result is such as will bring the
power of taxation nearer to the people.
-FaTm3Ts' Voice.