The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-23
Democracy Defending Trusts.

HAT THE Democratic lead
Crs arc not sincere in their
Il frequently proclaimed fierce
opposition to trusts has been
established most thoroughly by the ac-
ton of the Democratic minority in dis
senting from the legislation in remedy
of trusts proposed by the Republican
majority of the house committee on
judiciary on April 10 the majority of
that committee reported favorably an
amendment to the constitution giving
congress power to regulate trusts. The
amendment which it proposed to make
was as follows:
Congress shall have power to define, regulate,
control, prohibit, or dissolve trusts, monupocs,
or computations, whether existing in the form Of
a corporation or otherwise. The several states
may continue to exercise such power in any man.
ncr not in conflict with the laws OF the United
States. Congress shall have power to enforce the
provisions Of this article 10y appropriate legsla'
tlun
In support of this amendment the
Republican majority submitted the fol-
lowing incontestable propositions;
First-Thc existence of monopocs and
hudtlON~, or ~o-CdIod trusts. loilnCu lol improper
purposes purposes detrimental to the prosperity
ot the people and relating to and seriously affect.
ing manufacture production and business, is gen
orally conceded
Sccond-Ihc supreme court Of the United
States has decided that congress is without CON
stutional power to rcprcSs them, or regulate or
control them when formed and operating in the
states except as to the carrying ON OF interstate
commerce.
Third -Manufactrrc and interstate commerce
are 50 intimately connected and mutually depend
Cnt and So affect all the people Of all the states
that congress should POSSESS power over both. II
il was wise and beneficial to give congress power
over interstate commerce, il is unwiSc and detri.
mental to deny it power over manufacture and
production, which may, and many times do,
dominate such commerce
Fourth--Congrcss may regulate aud control in
terstate commerce tand create, control and dis
solve corporations to carry it on) but not manu-
facture or production, which is no part OF com.
merce, even when monopoly in manufacture scri-
ously affects and Crippcs and it may be- as to
its own products, substantially destroys inter
Etate commerce.
Ffth-Monopoly, combination or conspiracy in
manufacture production OF any kind is part
of commerce, and hence, except in the terri
tories, is beyond the reach of national protection
action. No power TO rcpress or control mon
opolies Of any kind is conferred congress by
q
troll interstate commerce, which may be doubted.
Can congress prevent the ownership by New
York GOrporation those controlling it OF every
railroad and every steamship line in the United
States?
stXtlr-Mo't monopolics, and nearly all the
great combinations or trusts formed for improper
purposes, extend their operations and business
into all the states and territories and affect the
business aud property interests of nearly all our
people, thus becoming, in a sense, national in
their character. Hence they should be subject
and amen1ble-to uniform laws operative through.
out the United States and the territory thereof
and which congress alone is competent to enact.
These laws should be enforced by the courts Of
the United States, thus securing uniformity OF
administration.
Seyenth4Jlhe several states are powerless Ia
enact any laws operative outside their respective
territorial limits. Usually the laws OF the one
state differ from those of every other, and hence
monopoly, conspiracy, combination or trust for
bidder by the laws Of state may and ire
quently dQes exist in another, and by purchase
Or otherwise may and frequently does obtair
control OF all competing organizations in the
United States, and so becomes a national monop
oily. That is, throughout the United States anC
the territories it monopolizes and controls tn,
manufacture and production of and commerce il
certain articles, and fixes the price at will.
Eighth-No state can exclude from its terri
tory the corporation Of another state engaged II
interstate commerce, and hence a monopoly il
manufacture existing in one state, ii also en-
gagged in interstate commerce, may, SO far az
any state is concerned, carry its product int,
every state and control the price and rarke
everywhere.
Ninth-These evils and others incident therot,
can be effectively remedied by a constitutional
amendment and subsequent congressional actor
only. .-.-r..
In this same connection tho Republi
can majority OF the house judiciary
committee reported favorably a bill
making sweeping amendments TO the
Sherman antitrust law. one Of thes,