The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-15

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tho list of those In attendance presents
every phase OF crank and ism that has
been offered TO the country in,Athe last
twenty years.
When such body AZ that gets to-s
gether the resolutions adopted by it were:
10 have been expected. They call for
seizure by the government of all railroad
and telegraph lines and Tor almost every
other suggestion In the direction of pa
stcrnalism and communism that any. one
has heard. One of the most obstinate
fights it1 the convention was over the
question whether any compensation
should be made to the owners of the
railroads and telegraphs. A very influen-
tial section Of the body insisted that they
should be seized and condscated and that
the millions vsf American citizens who
have their means invested in railroad
securities should be robbed openly of
what they have.
The antitrust movement will never
make much Roadway while its leaders
are the men We have named or men at
all like them. When a proper discrimi-
nation is made between associations of
Individual citizens who combine their
means and their efforts In good faith to
improve their own fortunes, and over
grown corporations which abuse their
chartered rights for the injury Of the
public those who love to term them
selves antitrust parties may draw to
themselves a large part of the conserva-
tism of the public. But 50 long as the
antitrust move preserves in itself all the
characteristics Of war upon enterprise,
thrift, and prosperity, 1t will never ac-
Guire proportions enough to do much
harm.
The Times has repeatedly pointed out
in the discussion of the trust matter that
Legislation had nothing to do with as
sociations of individuals who are work
ing in good faith for their own benefit,
but that the charters of all, or almost all.
corporations are liable to alteration,
amendment, and repeal by the legislature,
and that the true object to aim at is
curtaiing the privileges Of corporations
that abuse their chartered rights. The
New York World makes the following
statement regarding the Standard Oil
Company. for instance:
Less than a year ago every workman
in the country could buy oil for his lamps
at cents a gallon in cans. The STANDARD
Oil Company has since successfully raised
the price to u cents. and it now sends
out as valentine to consumers card
announcing the addition OF another cent
ROY l1nu February This is an
advance Of 5 cents gallon, or e. IL per
cent, within less than q year.
The Standard Oil Company last year
paid 50 per cent. dividends on q largely
fictitious capitalization of 500, 000, 600. With
such profits to the good it has certainly
no excuse for increasing the price of its
commodity by 62 1-2 per cent. But to the
question. "What is the reaSon?" the an
swer is easy and obvious. The Standard
Oil Company enjoys a monopoly worse
and more oppressive than any ever grant
ed by the Tudors in England's most
despotic tines
We don't believe much Of what we see
in the World-indeed. the probabilities are
against the truth of anything found
there-but if these statements be facts
and there are no good reasons for TINS
raise, then the legislature might pro-
perly take this company in hand and
curtail some of its privileges. But before
anything was done the case should be
carefully investigated and the actual facts
learned. II may be that raw materials
have SO risen i'll value that the company
has been compelled TO make the raises
Its side of the case should be heard be-
fore any judgment is formed.