The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-21
washington time. q p. m. St. Paul..
THEY MEAN BUSINESS.

The proceedings Of the first days ses-
sion of the antitrust conference at st.
Louis contained in these columns this
morning should be read with the fullest
attention by everyone who is interested
in finding remedies for the serious evils
which ara threatened through these com
binations. There certainly is 10 desire
shown at that gathering, so far as our
reports show, to minimize those evils
There is, TOO, we believe, sufficient wis
dom prevalent among the delegates to
prevent them from going to the other
extreme.
While deprecating the Introduction of
political matters into the discussion, it
is observable that certain delegates are
quite intent that their own political ends
shall not be lost sight of. Republican
politicians may treat the subject as
deprecatingly as they please, and ex-
press the lleeaest regrets that the move
ment shows signs of dropping into party
political grooves; but the significance CT
their anxiety is not and will not be lost
sight Of 1t is best of course, that this
subject shall be disposed of, if possible
without the intervention of political diff
ferences. But as long as the trusts have
their advocates among leading public
characters, and as long as at least one
of the parties shows, as it has thus Tar
shown, that it is disposed to stand be-
tween the trusts and their proper regu-
lation. it will remain mere idle chatter
to talk about leaving politics out of
sight
The St Louis body has carefully re-
moved its gloves before tackling its pres
ent job. 1t is very evidently convinced
that a remedy is needed and that the
remedy must be commensurate to the dis
ease which affects the body polite
These Southern executives are no mere
time-servers of politics. They do not
accept the dollar as their god, or concern
themselves whose individual bull shall
be gored by their onsets on trusts. Mel
Their need there be any fear that these
men win make any war upon propertied
interests. They are mostly men who I'M
derstand the legal and constitutional
bearings Of the questions they have met
to deal with. They have met 10 formu-
late a uniform system of legislation and
al administration of enacted laws, to be
applied in the government of the several
states in the first place They know
thor subject and they are not going to
destroy the good work which it is in their
power to do by the adoption of wild or
freadsh remedies for the evils they deal
with
1t is for those deprecating gentlemen,
who are invariably Republicans, to say
whether this question shall or shall not
be carried into politics. If Republican
executives and legislatures in the several
states unite in passing the laws and
adopting the methods of administration
which this conference evolves the ques-
ton of the trusts will be effectually
taken cut of politics If they do not,
and DO not convince the masses of the
people that they have irrefragible rea-
sons for their neglect or refusal, then
the subject will certainly seek it's settle
ment il the arena of political warfare
There is only one way to prevent the
trust becoming a political issue We
doubt if there is any large proportion OF
Republican politicians willing to ADOPT
that way.