, 1899-11-16
TRUSTS AND PARTIES.
RECORD SHOWS WHO HAS
FAVORED THEM.
an ANTITRUST Campaign on the Pa-k
Of the Democrats with CIeveInndisp
Thrown in, Would be a LAUGHING
Stock.

me Examiner. after quoting the
statement of ex-United States Senator
w. ID. Washburn of Minnesota that the
1epuolican party ought to put forth its
lull strength and legislate against
trusts, remarks that Mr.. Washburn and
MS friends do not say how they are
going to do this and at the same time
Train under the leadership of Hanna.
1t would indeed be difficult for any
party, under any leadership, to mark
out a awful plan of attack upon the
trusts. but not more so for the Repub-
means than for the party Of Calvin S.
brlce, Coal Oil Payne, william C.
whitney. j. Pierpont Morgan and the
late Roswell p. Flower, to say 10th
ing OF Richard Croker, whose interests
are almost as securely wrapped up in
trusts as they are in thieving. We
might add that remarks about the lead
ership OF Hanna con.e with bad grace
from a newspaper which favors the
election for governor of Ohio of John
Il. Mclean, who is the richer man of
the W and was mainly instrumental
In foisting Joseph Hoadley.a trust law
yer, and Henry B. Payne of the Stand
ard Oil company, upon the Ohio gov
ernorship and s~enatorship respectively.
II Hanna is indeed for trusts II Is not
for the western organ of John r. Nc
Lean to think any the less of him be-
cause of it.
Criticisms OF Senator Hanna do not
conceal the fact, however. that during
the past few years the Republicans
have been more active against trusts
than the Democrats. The Fifty-third
congress, Democratic. did not move a
finger against them. and 1t was left to
a Republican congress to pass the Sher-
man antitrust law. Last winter and
spring the most drastic laws for the
suppression OF these great combines
were passed by Republican legislatures,
the one exception. proving the rule. be-
ing the legislature of Texas. As a mat
ter Of fact, there is no politics in trusts.
They are no more Republican and no
less Democratic than partnerships are.
What are the politics of the Anaconda
Copper company. the Standard. Oil, the
Sugar trust and the Diamond Match
company?
The Examiner lays especial stress
not only upon Hanna. but Griggs. But
what is the offense of the Republican
attorney general? He refused. as in
duty bound, to make a federal matter
out of a wrong which could look for
lawful redress only in state courts. His
Democratic predecessor, Richard Olney,
did worse, as we shall show by a quo
tatton from the Examiner itself OF a
past Gate:
1T is probable that the Indifference
or hostility of the attorney generals OF
the United States to the antitrust laws
has had something to do with failure
OF the statutes to accomplish anything.
Attorney General Olney frankly stated
his belief hat the Sherman law was
unconstitutional. and the remarkable
decision of the Supreme court in the
Sugar trust case has the effect that the
power of the United States over in
terstate commerce applied only to per-
sons and corporations whose principal
business is handling goods for sale and
not to those whose principal business
is manufacturing. and that the sugar
trusts business was mainly manufac-
turing ana not SEEMING sugar, seemeu 10
support it."
How can Republican Attorney Cen
eral Grlggs' attitude compromise his
party any more than Democratic At
torney General Olney's?
1t is idle and in some degree vicious
to talk of trusts as the wards and pets
of parties. They are no more so than
corporations. II they are harmful the
damage falls alike upon the Republican
and Democrat; If advantageous the
profits and rewards are common to
both. Only demagogues seek to create
a contrary impression.-San Francisco
Chronicle.