The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-14
SEATTLE. WEDNESDAY. FEB. IL.
The Antitrust Conference.

IL In doubtful IL any substantial good
comes from the antitrust conference
now In session at Chicago The dele
gates have assembled to denounce
rather than discuss. and. under the cir
cumstances. a well-ordered investiGa-
ton OF the trust evil II such 1t be, Is
not among the possibilities.
The conference IL pledged in advance
to see no advantages In Industrial COM
binations, and its conclusions could
have been outlined easily without the
delegates coming together. There Is no
spirit of compromise present. there Is
no disposition to admit that scattered
capital IL massed can be used more
economically and with greater produc-
tiveness; there Is no Intention OF con-
ceding for moment that single BEN
eat can result from a concentration OF
industrial energies. The conference IL
made up OF men who hold radical Views.
and in consequence the deliberations
must Of necessity take on "A radical
character. Such gathering. where
there In no disposition to exercise fair,
calm and dispassionate Judgment. could
not In the nature of things reach con-
illusions entitled to the highest consid-
Grafton.
The solution OF vexed problem OF
the present day is not likely to be who'll
~ impartial and dislnterested II left
10 such men as Louis II. Post. J. ",
Weaver, Jerry simpson. Gov. Lee, sam
Jones' Ignatius Donnelly. Milton Park
the convention In made up of delegates
with radical ideas and unreasonable
tendencies such as have characterized
the thoughts, actions and public utter
ances OF the men named. 1t Is well
known how prejudioed they are in their
attitude toward the more important
questions OF the day. and II Is idle to
suppose they viii devote themselves 70
the task OF solving the trust problem
with a broad and tolerant spirit, through
which alone any threatening dangers
may be met and warded or
There are few questions which have
not two sides, That relating to trusts
is certainly one concerning which arsu-
ments may be made from different
standpolnts. Trade combinations may
IA. F.,r,,,aa far ,,-arfhv rar,S,sas mat a.
they may be organized with the idea
OF doing what Il Is clearly against pub
lie policy TO permit them 20 do Their
object may be to suppress competition
create monopoly and unreasonahly
raise prices. Just as 81 may be 20 enter
into legitimate cooperation With view
Of preventing waste Of productive en-
ctgy ana assuring a reasonable return
on capital invested, In discussing the
trust question Il Is as necessary 10 ex-
cscise the faculty OF discrimination as
Il is in solving any other economical
problem.
This disposition 10 be fair will not re
largely In evidence at Chicago, The
delegates Tor the most part are men
whose principal business II has been to
denounee something or somebody, and
the trusts are the last objects for vic.
lent attack. Possibly some new light
may be thrown upon the subject by one
or two OF the more reasonable and con-
seyvative delegates, but the deiibers-
,lons as a whole cannot be considered as
representing any substantial element in
the country that Is anxious 10 settle
the problem with exact Justice to all
persons and interests concerned.
a-H--r-----
The Ind, ma Gold Democrats want "a
substitute Richard olney for W ]
BrSsn as the Democratic nominee. but
this is an impossihility. As Senator