The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-27
REMEDIES FOR TRUST EVILS.

REMEDIES FOR TRUST EVILS.
II would be rather remarkable if the
self-constituted conferences, the legally
| appointed commissions and the hundreds
Of jealous reformers who are diligently
searching for satisfactory remedies for the
evils of trusts should be unsuccessful
There has been a vast amount Of talk
against trusts, but thus far no one seems
to have pointed out a way in which they
could be so restrained as to cease to be a
menace 60 the welfare of the public
The report OF the Industrial Commission
Is ready TO be submitted 10 Congress. The
commission has been engaged in investi-
gazing trusts pretty nearly an winter
What II has not found out about them is
not worth knowing, Many of the trust
maganates were before il, and most of
them talked pretty freely about trusts and
the evils growing out of them.
The commission recommends publicity
for all corporations and prohibition of all
Determinations in transportation rates.
These recommendations may be remedies
which could be easily applied, but would
they be effective? Evidently the commits
sion thinks so. II would hardly have
recommended them if it thought other
wise, or if ii were in doubt that they
would accomplish the object in view.
BY publicity the commission means that
all matters bearing upon the organization
of a corporation shall be open to the in
spectiOn of its stockholders 1t means also
that a corporation shall be required TO
make regular reports for the benefit of
ba md IN
shah be made clear whatithe actual condl-
ton of the corpora TONS business is. They
must show how much of the stock is is
sued for property, how much for cash and
how much for promotion" In the opin-
ion of the commission each share of stock
should have printed upon it a statement
giving the foregoing information.
Promoters" are thought 10 be largely
responsible for trust evils, and hence the
commission recommends that they and
others engaged in marketing shares of
trusts shall be held responsible for any
Misrepresentation they make. The rec
ommendaton relative 10 discrimination in
transportation rates is of course aimed at
the interstate railroads. That the trans
portaton companies have worked in the
interests of trusts there does not seem TO
be any doubt. 1t is asserted, and prob
ably with truth. that some of the great
est of the trusts could never have reached
their present proportions if they had moi
received the assistance of the railroads.
There have been Determinations in their
favor with the result that small COM
petitors have been ruined.
Congress ought to be able to reach the
railroads through the Interstate Commerce
Commission. Just what amount Of
power it would be advisable to give
1t is not clear If. for instance, the law
should provide that its decisions should
go into effect without being approved by
any court ii is believed that an important
point would be gained. Now the rail-
roads, by one plea and another, manage
to greatly delay action by the courts on
its decisions.
The Interstate Commerce Commission
believes that Determinations would be pre-
vented by permitting the railroads to pool
their earnings, and has recommended that
they be given that right, but Congress
seems to think that the country demands
competition.
1t is a question whether the report of
the Industrial Commission will meet with
the approval of Congress. and whether its
recommendations, if adopted, would be eff
fective remedies for trust evils. 1t is
probable there is such a divergence of
views among Congressman in respect to
trusts that it will be difficult to secure
legislation at the present time that would
satisfy the public