The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-29
Down With the Trusts.

Down With the Trusts.
Senator J. T. MCGOWAN. q Democrat
of Minneapolis, has introduced a meas
ure to curb the trusts. Its specific pur-
pose is to prevent any combination of
capitalists from fixing the prices of anv
of the necessaries OF life, such as food
and raiment and also to prevent the
making of rates for such necessities of
modern business as telephones, trans
portatlon and the telegraph. The
tendency of the modern trust is to pre-
vent free and open competition in
manufactures. mining, milling and also
In the operations of public carriers and
in the development of modern science
as related to the business world. ANY,
body who enters into a trust. pool
agreement, contract or combination
with any other corporation, partner
snip or individual for the purpose of
controlling rates and prices is by this
bill declared guilty or a conspiracy to
defraud, for which he shall be indicted
and punished as provided by law. This
Is the meat of the MCGOWAN bill. and
the people of the state of Minnesota.
irrespective of party, should welcome
us appearance; for it is apparent, from
the experience of Eastern states. whera
the trust thrives and f1ourishes. that
legal protection cannot be afforded too
quickly to the interests of the farmers
manufacturers and producers general
ly of the Northwest.
Whether the MCGOWAN bill under
takes to do too much; whether it's
phraseology is such as to stand the
Judicial test to which the keen LAWYERS
of the trusts will undoubtedly put it
may, perhaps, be Questioned The spirit
however, which underlies the entire
measure is to be commended
we can draw upon the experience of
other states in the effort to throttle this
modern monster. The legislature of the
state of New York undertook. a wear
ago. to deal with the trusts, and. after
lot of prodding by the newspapers.
II uid feach a point where effective leg
lsiatlon was in sight. Its house of rep
resentatlVes passed simple bill, which
some of the best lawyers in the state.
admitted was constitutional and would
nave the desired effect of killing +bs
operations of trusts in that state The
senate, however, being under the direct
control of the Republican organization
OF the state. known as the Plat or
Sanlzatlon-and that organization. in
turn, pelng obligated to the trusts for
polltlcal contributions-tied up the
house measure, introduced one of its
own manufacture, and the result was
found to be absolutely useless as a
means OF suppressing trusts at the very
hrst time that the test of judicial con-
Struction was placed upon it.
NO doubt similar agencies will he,
brought to bear in the state of Minne
sofa to prevent a sound law heinz
placed upon the statute books. This
Is a suggestion which the enemies of
trusts VIII do we'll to bear in mind In
deed' the spirit of antagonism against
all antitrust legislation is strong in all
legislatures controlled by the Renuh.
hcan party. The trust is per Sc
legitimate child of the doctrine of pro-
tectlon' to which the Republican party
mas been welded throughout it's life.
second so-called antitrust bill has
also been introduced by Senator III. J.
Miller, of Rock county. This measure
omlts the telephone companies in its
classification of those trust agencies
Which should be regulated by law. Just
Why this kindness is shown toward the
telephone companies we have no means
OF knowing. 1t is the general belief.
however, that, if there is any such
thing as a combination in restraint of
trade now operating in the state of
Minnesota, the telephone outfit is such
a one. The Miller bill is stronger in it's
definition of the many pains and penal
Ties that should be imposed upon of
lending trusts than it is in the defini-
ton of the offenses that are to he NM
lshed. Possibly, all of the machinery
of the state. from governor to consta-
Dies and police justices, ought TO he
enlisted in the suppression of the
trusts. There can be no objection TO
the people of Minnesota generally pet-
tlng out with guns and clubs and go
Ing after the trusts. At the same time
1t has occurred to gentlemen who give
much thought to antitrust laws that
the simpler the machinery for their ex
executed. Minnesota has an attorney
general. who was elected to guard the
legal welfare of the people. Upon him
naturally devolves the responsibility of
seeing that the laws are executed IF
he fails to do his duty, we know ex-
actly Where the responsibility lies IF
will lie upon the attorney general and
upon that political party which placed
him in nomination and elected him.
This legislature should go on record
in opposition to any and every form
of the trust. 1t should declare illegal
those that are now in existence. II
should prohibit their operation in this
state. 1t should give the attorney gem
eral ample power to prosecute this class
of offenders. 1t should frame no legis-
lation that by any possibility can here
after be pronounced unconstitutional
Unless the most scrupulous care is
taken we can rest assured that, before