The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-30
THE QUESTION OF TRUSTS.
w. A. Days Answer to Senator
Hanna's Recent Assertions.

AT the Democratic headquarters there is
growing demand for antitrust literature,
| and every speech bearing on the subject
i is being sent broadcast Mr.. Hanna has
! learned that when he said there are no
J trusts, he stirred up a hornets nest A
statement prepared by William A. Day. of
the State of Washington, is perhaps one
OF the best answers to Mr.. Hanna's dec,
Iaratlon on the trust question. He places
the Chairman of the Republican National
Committee in most ridiculous position.
After challenging Mr.. Hanua's state
ments that there are no trusts, and that
the laws against illegal monopolies are
enforced, Mr. Day calls Mr.. HaDna's at
tention to the decision of the United
States Supreme Court against the Trans
Missouri Freight Association.
THE court" says Mr. Day, held the Or
ganization to be a conspiracy and trust
within the prohibition of the Antitrust
act. and also held that all combinations
In restraint OF trade or commerce are pro-
hit-ted by the act of Congress. whether
they are in the form of trusts or in any
other form whatever
Here" continues Mr.. Day. "is 4 trust
with no room for doubt. The evidence was
complete in every detail, even to the sig
natures of the eighteen railroad execu-
ttyes who formed and put it in operation
cided by the Supreme Court to be a crimi-
nal trust. ana this decision came just as
Mckinley and his Attorney General were
buckling on the armor OF office. Eighteen
prominent and powerful railroad officials,
who had for years practiced openly and
fagrantly the doctrine OF the public be
damned. were finally overtaken and
caught red-handed. 1t only remained for
the new Attorney General to direct his
subordinate District Attorney to indict
and punish them, and what is most need
cd, an example, would have surely fol-
lowed, as the Supreme Court had left no
door open for them to escape
There was some talk, but no action
followed. Some sort of official dope was
administered TO those who might have
been active, and no further attempt at
enforcement of the law followed The
Trans Missouri Freight Association was
formally disbanded. but out of its ashes
new and more perfect instruments, under
other names, were erected for the viola
tion Of the Antitrust law. They took the
names of the Southwestern Freight Blu
reau and the Western Freight Association,
which yet flourish, with no one even to
call them to hook"
Mr.. Day calls Mr.. Hanna's attention to
the gigantic trust once known as the
Joint Traffic Association, but now known
as the Trunk Line Association" Mr.. Day
says that the New York Central and the
Pennsylvania roads are the powerful fac
tors in this trust, which comprises thirty
two railroads. He adds:
In January, 1896. Mr. Cleyeland's At
torney General instituted proceedings for
an injunction on the ground that it was a
conspiracy and trust against the people OF
the United States. That case went through
two courts before 1t reached the Supreme
Court Of the United States, which on De-
tober "a, 1898, held II to be criminal trust
and in violation of the Sherman Antitrust
act. Nothing remained for Attorney GEN
eral Griggs but TO instruct his subordinates
to see that the law was vindicated or
course that would have made it neces-
sary to indict Senator Chauncey NJ.
Depew and other rich and powerful men.
Even after the Supreme Court had de-
clared the Joint Traffic Association to be
n crust the Joint Traffic Association con-
tnued operations for about a year when
II WIS merged into the Trunk Line AS
sociation, which is today operating a
pool and enforcing by combination rates
which farmers and manufacturers and
merchants say are extortionate Here
is another trust for Mr. Hanna and one
so powerful that even the Interstate
Commerce Commission has been unable
TO curb its powers and the Administra-
tion will not
s1.25 to baltimore and Return via