Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-05-20
ETGfHFFFEEEN PAGES.
SUNDAY MAY 20. 1900.
! DESTRUCTION THE ONLY
REMEDY.

In the jargon Of the law thing may
be bad in one or both CT two ways-it
may be ..malum prohibitum." OF
.t1nalun1 in set may be bad only
2 because the law says so. or 1t NAV be
i Of the very essence of "cussedness,
y bad everywhere and always. With all
due Difference to the forthcoming Re
publican platform, which will declare
y that many OF the trusts are as in
%nocuous as country grocery store. the
trust is clearly bad. In and of itself.
and o. god trust is q contradiction in
terms.
The fact that every trust is formed
for the avowed purpose of Increasing
the profits Of the product it controls
by eliminating competition and reduc-
Ing the cost OF raw materials is not
the only menace of the trust. The fact
q that its purpose is to rob the producer
from whom 1t purchases. and the con-
sumner to whom 1t sells, the employees
who do Its work and the TRANSPORTATION
companies that distribute its wares. is
not the only count in the Indictment
against the trust, however sufficient
this may be. The trust goes much
further and seeks to make the govern
mealt of the people part and parcel of
itsf all-powerful engine. extorton and
oppression; it seeks to control Congress,
4 Legislatures, the Judiciary, State and
i National.
This is no mere idle assertion. In
y Congress 1t is not even denied. On the
d contrary, men OF all parties have re-
Gently made this declaration, openly
and smphatlcallX. Nobody has thought
it vortn while to dispute its truth. 1t
is as well authenticated as that Mr..
Clark recently resigned and was re-
appointed as Senator from Montana.
The st1ednss ttelphlAvh the trust seeks to
control legislation may be matter of
#dIffer.nce of opinion; tho fact is not.
How well the trusts succeed In their
,s5gfforts to use the government as n
means OF increasing their profits, is
shown by two pieces of legislation re-
Gently enacted-the Porto Rican tariff
law and the act authorizing the pur-
chase Of armor plate at $5i5 per ton,
& tpken tie Armor Plate Trust is selling the
ecsne grade of drmor, to foreigners, for half
flsdf eusi,. Two more fragrant instances,
itSwouid be impossible to imagine. BY
the sarst the Sugar and Tobacco Trusts
were enabled to bleed a. people whom
+ this government, by the most sacred
4 promises and by their own pltiful con-
Gition. was bound to shield and succor.
4. BY the second, Congress was made to
give d bonus of fhirfy-f0e millions of dol
.l&rs OF the peoples money to the Armor
Plate Trust.
What Is the lesson of these facts :?
simply. that the government SO far
! rom controlling the trusts. is controlled
by them. While the trusts are per-
isted to exist, there is no safety for
the people. total and absolute annihila-
<ionE CT the trusts can alone assure i'm
tYsunity from legislation intended to
sNbehefts them at the expense of the citi-
10 say that the Sugar or Tobacco
or Argnor Plate Trust Is worse than any
Sat Fer IS sheer nonsense. They have
sfpAfely used opportunities that came
II way. Any other trust will do the
! ii thing. Any other trust will use
q he government whenever 1t is able, to
rob afd oppress the people.
elm are the Steel and Tobacco
ssNg ar Trusts worse than their fell
why VIII not other trusts seek
and why will they not accom-
hat these trusts have done?
here y moi q shadow OF reason for
shing between them. Your
s. s;aaats asas neither raorals nor sentiment
4 4 l,ait one feeling PM greed, 1t stops
{ x,9thiEg tiiIAt VIII crafty that