The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-08-31

4 N tor Intellectually tried 10
squelch at the Kansas City
conventions and realizing how counter
u the patritic temper of the people
is Hryan's paramount proposition to
pull down the flag in surrender to
ACunaldo. the unfortunate Times
makes 4 last Taly on the subject Of
trusts ana challenges The Tribune to
discuss that question. We note brief
ly in passing the fact that practically
all the chief officials in Tammany are
stockholders in an ice trust which en-
joys fat city contracts, doubtless as
part of the deal. and proceed to con-
slider the question in it's broader as
poets.
AS far back as the Fiftieth con-
gress the Democrats began to howl at
the trusts for political purposes, They
appointed a formidable committee of
investigation which interrogated more
than a hundred witnesses, but came
to no definite conclusion. In the Fifty
second and Fifty-fourth congresses
this was repeated. The differ
ence between Democratic prom
ises and Republican performances
Is strikingly illustrated by the enact
ment of the measure known as the
Sherman antitrust law, which was
enacted in 1890 by a Republican con-
gress and signed by Republican
president-Benjamin Harrison. AL
though the Democrats sneered at the
bill, which they contended was sim
ply piece of buncombe and would
be only a dead letter, the recent de-
cislons of the Supreme court have
shown that 1t is at least the only
piece of legislation ever put upon the
statute books which has the semblance
of power to control and prevent COM
binations in restraint of production or
commerce.
Under this law the Supreme court Of
the United States, on the cath day Of
October, 1885, held illegal the Joint
Traffic association, an agreement en-
tered into between some thirty-one
different railroad companies, and en-
joined its further execution. Another
well known case was the Addystone
Pipe and Steel company ct al. VS.. the
United States. 1t was charged in the
petition that the defendants, six cor
porations who were engaged in tie
manufacture, sale and transportation
of iron pipe, entered into a combina-
tion, conspiracy, among themselves,
by which they agreed that there should
be no competition between them in
any of the states or territories mem
toned in the agreement comprising
some thirty-siX in all) in regard to the
manufacture and sale of Cast-iron pipe.
The action was undertaken for the
purpose of obtaining an injunction per-
petually enjoining the defendants from
further acting under or carrying on
the combination alleged in the petition
10 have been entered into betewen
them, on the ground that it was an IT,
legal and unlawful one, under the act
above mentioned, and because il was
in restraint of commerce and trade
among the states. Judge Taft of the
United States circuit court of appeals,
now, president of the Philippine COM
mission, rendered a decision holding
the Agreement TO be illegal and unlaw-
ful ,under the antitrust act. His de-
cision was affirmed by the Supreme
court Dec. 4, 1899 thereby affirming
the power of congress to deal with H.
legal combinations of that nature, and
proving beyond question the great
value of the Sherman antitrust act.
But under the constitution congress
can only regulate interstate commerce,
1t cannot interfere with commerce or
iginating and ending within state
limits. In his message to congress on
Dec,1i, 1899, President Mckinley called
tine attention Of that body to the lin.
itatlpnscof the Sherman act and urged
the adoption of legislation in remedy
Yet in the face of the Democratic
party's intermittent clamor against
trusts 1--WE say intermittent, because
1t only yslls at them when It is look.
ing Tor. votes: at other times It 4:
hang In glove with them, when the
judiciary committee OF the house OF
representatives on June 1, 1900. brought
before that body joint resolution pro.
viding for constitutional amendment
which should give congress power tC
regulate trusts wherever found, only
ave Democrats voted for 1t. while prac
lically every Republican in the house
voted for the measure, but as it re.
lulred .two-thirds vote the Demo
rratss were strong enough to defeat 1t
Nor WAS this all. During the les
session OF congress-. Senator Jones. o.