New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-25
DEMOCRATS AND TRUSTS.
MIR. RICHARDSON ATTEMPTS TO MAKE
A LITTLE CHEAP POLITICAL
CAPITAL.
CAPITAL,
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBuNE.l

Washington, Feb. 24-Mr. Richardson, OF
Tennessee, leader OF the minorfts inAthe House
OF Representatives, celebrated Washington's
Birthday by Offering joint resolution prohibit
ing the transportation Of tinplate and other
products Of the American Tin Plate Company
etc. from one State to another after the
piration of six months. by the Interstate Com
snerce Commission, until the Commission is sat
iafed that the products have not yielded a
profit TO the manufacturers thereof of more than
4 per cent in excess of the cost of the same"
The Joint resolution referred to the Com
nlittee on the Judiciary, to which have been re-
ferred several other joint resolutions of the same
tenor by the same author, relating to sugar,
paper and other products which are objects OF
interstate commerce. Mr. Richardson seems to
be merely trying to amass some cheap political
capital for the use of his party in the coming
Presidential campaign, for he must realize that
the plan he proposes is an utterly impracticable
one however sincere may be his desire to restrict
the operations of trusts and combinations TO
control prices OF their products.
There is also reason. as experience has demon
strated to suspect not only the practicability,
but the sincerity of Democratic expedients to
cure the abuses which undoubtedly exist
result of the operations of combinations 1t has
not been so long since a Democratic commit
tee of a Democratic House began. with a loud
flourish of trumpets an investigation of the
Sugar Trust. the Whiskey Trust, the Bagging
Trust and other trusts The Committee
Ways and Means, of which Mr.. Mills. of Texas,
was chairman. was then engaged in framing the
celebrated Dark Lantern Tariff bill. and 1t
proclaimed that the investigating commit
was TO furnish facts which would justify
the fixing of tariff duties on sugar. whiskey.
cotton, bagging, etc. at rates which would
compel the trusts to dissolve. The committee
took a mass of testimony. but was never able
TO agree any recommendations Of legfsla-
ton. although its membership included such
eminent tariff reformers as Wilson, of West
Virginia; Breckenridge, of Arkansas, and
Bynum, Of Indiana, who were then also mem
bers Of the Ways and Means Committee. Mean
while the Tariff bill was reported. and it passed
The Democratic House, carrying higher rates
Of duty the commodities produced by the
trusts than those which imposed under the
Dingley law.
PROMISE AND PERFORMANCE.
Two years later lin 1920 the difference be-
tween Democratic promises and Republican
performance was strikingly illustrated by the
enactment Of the measure known as the Sher-
Antitrust law. At that time the Repub-
Hcans for the first time in number of years.
controlled both branches of Congress. and Ben
jamin Herrison President of the United
States. The Democrats sneered at the bill,
which. they commended, was simply "a piece OF
buncombe,' and the law which they de-
clared would be dead letter. They do not ap-
pear even yet to have discovered that they were
mistaken, and that the statute is a virile and
effective one. affording all the remedy that
Congress can give until after amendment
Of the Constitution of the United States.
Again, in 1894, the Democrats in Congress
grappled with the trust problem. They went
further than in 1894. and enacted as a part Of
the wilson-Gorman Tariff law certain provis
lone, in substance as follows:
Section 70 declares that every combination, con-
declared to be contrary to public policy Illegal and
or more persons corporations either of whom
Is engaged in importing any article from any for
combination conspiracy, trust agreement or con-
trsde Or fre coynn!ior in ia,rfn frade or rorn
merce, increase the market price in any part
ported intended to be imported into the United
Stats. or Of any manufacture into which sucn
The section also provides that any person who shall
conTicton ' thereof in any court of the United
States snail be ned not less than geo or more ore
prisonment. in the discretion OF the court, for
term not less than three months, nor exceeding
Section Il invests the several United States Cir
cult Courts with jurisdiction to prevent and re-
strain violations Of Section q. and makes i the
United States institute proceedings in equity to-
prevent and restrain such violations. Such pro
such petition and before final decree. the court
may any time make such temporary restraining
order prohibition shall be deemed just in the
premises.
Section 70 provides that If ii shall appear the
court that other parties should be brought before
II In any proceeding. in order 10 subserve the ends
OF justice, the court may cause them to be sum-
moned, whether they reside in the district in which
the court is held not. and TO that end subpRnas
may be served in any district by the marshal
thereof.
Section 76 provides that any property owned
Ger any contract or by combination pur
suant TO any conspiracy land being the subject
portation. shall be forfeited to the United States
and may be seized and condemned by like proceed
ings those provided by law for the forfeiture
and condemnation OF property imported into the
United States contrary TO law
Section a provides that who shall
be injured in his business property by any other
person corporation by reason of anything for
therefore in Circuit Court of the United States
IN the district in which the defendant resides
IS found, without respect to the amount in
troversy land shall recover threefold the damages
by him sustained. and the costs OF suit, including
reasonable attorneys fee"
The Republicans criticised these provisions on
the ground Of impracticability, but offered no
other opposition to them The Democratic Presi-
dent and the officials of the Democratic Admin
istration then in power did not execute. or so
far IS is known, attempt to execute, these pro-
visions of law. They were not repealed by the
Tariff act OF 1897. and still remain on the statute
book dead letter.