The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-25

y AR OF AN aggressive
\N character has been de-
Y clared by two highly en-
terprising and estimable
classes of citizens, the commercial
travellers and the hotel proprietors, up
on the trusts. An organization known
as the Commercial Travellers and Ho-
tel Mems Antitrust league has re-
Gently been incorporated in New York
state under the presidency of Charles
r. Spaulding. of Buffalo, and with vice
presidents representing every state in
the union, the purpose of which, as
set forth in circular just received, is
"to bring about more thorough CO.
operation in agtating a widespread
antitrust sentiment, and to support,
with ouV votes. men who make de-
termned effort to assist commercial
travellers from Maine to California in
a legislative way. To keep travelling
men and hotel men up to date in the ar
guments favoring the antitrust move
ment during the approaching presi-
dental campaign, and to prepare, from
time to time, talkatiVe facts that
should be made prominent and mail
them to our members and such other
commercial travellers whose names ami
addresses, corrected up to date, the
league has, numbering over $4,000. To
prepare petitions to congress and give
them the widest circulation for sigma
pt 80, CT
legislation; also to the legislatures Of
the various states. To attend political
caucuses in whatever party our MEM
bers affiliate, and demand a strong
antitrust plank in their platform,
and see that any officer nominated
shall be in full sympathy with this
plank" The circular continues This
antitrust issue overshadows all 9TH
ers with us. What difference whether
we have free trade or protective tar
if, whether the outlying islands Of
the sea, proXimate or remote, are made
colonies or not, if we are taken off the
road and deprived of our positions?
Resolutions alone will not suffice, but
effective laws must be passed and en-
forced. We are going to educate the
public through our membership to the
great dangers that menace the indus
trial interests of our country"
On personal grounds this campaign
will have widespread sympathy, No
class of men have more friends and
well-wishers than the commercial ira
I
in the line, ANY modification of busl-
ness conditions which would perman-
entity injure either would be seriously
regretted on every hand. More than
that, it would represent a financial
hardship of considerable proportions
| to the community in general for both
| the commercial travellers and the hotel
men are liberal spenders Of money
| and they do not as a rule drive inhu-
man bargains. That with their wide
acquaintance and aggressive ways
! they can prove very influential in
| shaping party and legislative policy
! in regard to trusts goes without say
! ing, especially if, as this organization
| shows, they shall go at the work CO.
! hesively In the existing temper OF
! public opinion a movement of this kind
needs only to be judiciously started to
be rapidly successful so far rs rallying
around it the support of a majority of
voters is concerned. Both parties re-
cognize this and both will say in theil
| platforms all that can be said in repro
baton of trusts. The difficult part OF
the problem will come later. II viii
arise when the attempt is made to put
into effective statutes the general feel
ins Of the people. 1t Is not unlawful
nor can 1t be made so to combine one
industry or enterprise with another
1t is impossible to prevent the opera,
ton Of natural laws in the bushes.
world and one of these is the law D
economy, which stops the employment
of assistants whose services are M
longer considered necessary. Wher,
trusts force prices up so as TO earn
dishonest profits on inflated capitaliz
alton there is at once a case for lega
intervention; but where as a result o
the reduction of competition no othe
result appears than a reduction OF OF