The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-16
the approval or resentment at a combina
ton merely as such.
GOOD AND BAD COMBINATIONS.

WYNN ~ t&O $1,000
ILaughter.] A combination for burglary is
a conspiracy. All good men would
call out the police to prevent it.
.GLaughter.1 Any Industrial system which
to swell the volume Of production
should be commended; anything that OPP
crates to restrict 1t should be suppressed.
Now. whether these great combinations
OF capital or these combinations OF labor
operate to raise prices or to reduce them is
a subject about which there has been. a
wide diversity Of opinion. not merely In this
bb een, D disc Mnessver s sSOnom Contend Gnei'' that the
tendency Of these combinations OF capital
Is TO cheaper the product. Others say that
While I am fully conscious N that the move,
ment of prices depends on many forms, or,
rather, perhaps, I should say tb on every
on the sun that q~1ickens the. crop,
upon the rivers that wash the soil
we'll as upon the industry Of man, yet / VEN
ture TO say that neither side of this con-
troversy is wholly right or wholly wrong.
TO reduce prices and some which operate
TO depreciate them. Now, IL ] accept either
1 should offend again that other offender
Of which I complain. 1t will be idle to say
that some improve, that some raise prices
and some depreciate them if we did not
prescribe some test by which we could dis
OCLWCCh thC lWOs
Now, ladies and gentlemen, i think II is
a simple one, perfectly clear. The test is
TO ascertain whether the combination OF
or without 1t, for, my friends, you must
see that any industrial enterprise which
dominates the market without aid from the
government must do so through cheapening
the product, or, as Ii Is commonly called,
by underselling competitors. Such an indus
result rss to b %a inere paoihss t mes Volume q ias f pro.
duction. ~tAppiause.1 On the other hand,
an industry which dominates the market
by the favor of government, direct or In
direct, capnot in the nature Of things be
forced 10 cheaper prices, because If 1t could
dominate. the market by. underselling COM
would not need the government favor. Zap
plause.1 The interference of the govern
ment would be an injury and not a benefit
to 1t. An industry or a combination or cap
ital or anything you may choose to call 1t
that dominates a market through a re-
stricted competition, that delivers 1t to the
consumer on its own terms necessarily de-
Ponds upon a narrow output and large
profits extorted, not from the excellency of
those with whom IL deals. IApplause.J
METHODS OF INTERFERENCE.
"Now. there are three ways in which the
government interferes in the trade of in
dividuals in this country. One Is by patent
laws. 1t is my purpose. ladies and gentle
men, tonight to try and emphasize the
points on which we can agree and II possible
by some suggestions to extend the scope and
field Of our agreement. but waste nc time
upon questions which cannot possibly be set
tied by this conference and on which this
conference can nave very little effect. There
patent laws.
Another means by which the government
every person can concede, whether he be-
lieves in high tariff Or free trade. that so
far as trusts are concerned the tariff oper-
ates to favor them in this way and in this
way only. 1t operates to restrict COMPETE
ton In the production Of any article to those
engaged in it in this country. But If a trust
or combination Is to be formed. manifestly
1t aids the enterprise where the field of COM
petition Is originally limited. Under a con-
dltion or free trade every article which is
produced Is exposed to the competition of
the whole world. If you rely on the COM
bination to suppress competition manifestly
X is easier TO make a combination between
countries and to that extent the tariff fayors.
Now. it is well to say so as to avoid
controversy that the protectionist claims the
exclusion OF foreign competition In some
way or other develops a domestic competi-
DDS, more beneicent. i do not understand
his logic, but ! think that is a fair state
ment or his principles. Now. the tariff has
eight or ten years. There has been uni
versal debate on it and the question is still
unsettied. We cannot hope to do much
the tariff.
There is stiil a third and serious ques-
ton with which I think we can deal and
It's results than this tariff in favor of trusts.
Ana l. refer to those favors which are ex-
tenoed to certain industries or great COR
which are none the less government agencies
because their stock is owned by private
lndividuals: And here we are face to face
sumo 1t a serious difficulty because il is
almost impossible to describe 1t. 1t is sur
rounded by secret. That it is existing and
does exist everybody believes. But for the
purposes of philosophical discussion II is i'm
possible to try To follow that which you
eannot even fully describe and the worst
1t perpetrated against O certain class of
mystery.
WHAT GOVERNMENT CANNOT DO.
But, my friends. you must remember
that no person can enjoy a favor at the
hands Of any company enjoying a public
franchise except at the expense of another.
1t is true OF every instance where govern
ment favors an individual. 1 have said In
many places and 1 say here, that govern
ment cannot at the same time be a foun-
tain of generosity and of justice. Applause. ]
Government cannot create anything. 1t can
not cause the boards that constitute this
desk to take their place and become a use
lul article OF furniture; 1t annot call the
elements OF this structure into place and
ommand them to become a building; it
cannot cause two blades of grass to grow
where but one grew before, or make the
barren field fruitful. Now, IL government
cannot create anything, 1t has nothing of
It's W to bestow? If 1t undertakes to en-
rich one individual the thing that it gives
70 MIN II must take from another. lap
generous at the same time. for. If IL be gen.
erous TO one II must be oppressive to an
other. IL IL do a favor ii must have a VIC
tim. And that government only is just and
benefcent which has neither favorites nor
victims.
Nov. I have said that these favors are
extended by the common belief, and / have
said and acknowledge that II one person
attains rates that are excessively favorable,
IL his goods are transported at a loss, why
other men. using that same facility, must
make good the loss. IL goods are trans
body for less than hey cost. why that must
be made I'D by the m OF hundreds
OF others who pay too muc1. What Is the
remedy? A simple one. / believe. Some
gentlemen have suggested municipal own
ership:. lApplause.l
With the applause of the municipal owner
ship. ! concede the principle Of 1t. lap
piause-l The government has no right to
empower any private agency to perform a
function unless II be one which the govern
ment would be bound itself to perform II
plause.1 The only excuse for empowering a
private corporation to discharge a public
junction Is the excuse that the service will
De more .eficient-. The question. then. OF