The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-18
THE INDUSTRIAL CONFUSION
ANIA.- III m mr., trIr,r-Is

Three methods of dealing with the
trust problem will, it is announced, be
put forward in the forthcoming report of
the industrial commission. They have
been respectively designated, for con-
yenience, by the commission, as, first.
the present system improved; second, the
state control system, and, third the sys.
tenn of federal control. They represent
divergence of views among the men,
bers of the commission and the inability
OF majority Of that body to unite upon
single recommendation. These three
proposed remedies will be represented in
the report in the following terms:
First-Stricter antitrust legislation by
the several states and by congress- with
out altering the present relations be-
tween their respective Jurisdictions
Second-The delegation by congress to
the states of its interstate commerce
jurisdiction, so as to allow the states to
regulate manufacturing or trading cor
merce.
Third-The assumption by the national
government of a larger and perhaps ex-
elusive control of all such corporations.
and their regulation by act of congress.
1t will be conceded that all plans look
ing to agreement on a proposed policy
have thus far failed All gatherings of
public officials which have been called
for the purpose have ended without re-
suit. The report of the industrial COM
mission will, without doubt, have a posi-
tive influence on future action.
OF the three proposals above specified
it is not unlikely that the third will meet
with the largest share of public approval.
Everything thus far attempted in the
way of purely state control has been I'M
attended by positive results save in a
few Southern states, and in those cases
the wisdom of the policy pursued may
be open to serious question.
The proposal to delegate authority to
the several states over interstate COM
merce is hardly worthy of consideration.
If that could be done otherwise than
through constitutional amendment, the
results likely to be achieved through it
are no greater than those already
achieved. Aside from all other objec-
tons to such a course, the certainty that
diversity of plans would eyentuate and
that uniformity of action under it would
be impossible ought of itself to be con-
elusive in condemning it.
In the exercise of its control over inter-
state commerce congress will probably be
found capable of applying an adequate
remedy to. the monopolistic feature of
trust administration There is no other
source of danger. The conditions of in
dustrial and commercial progress of
which the trust is the distinctive out
growth are beyond regulation or control
by the lawmaking power.
The federal department of JUS
tice has already acted successful
ly in those cases which were
brought to its attention involving
interstate commerce lin which monopoly
was designed or realized in-actuaI opera
ton on the part of the offending corpo-
rations. But no such burdens should be
laid on that department. 1t is purely adj
ministrative work and the need of it's
accomplishment represents the supreme
desirability which exists of the organize
ton of a federal department of commerce
and industry with representative in the
cabinet.
Notwithstanding the. objection which
exists against the concentration of power
in the federal government. experience has
clearly shown that without some such plan
ir operation as thatindicated in the third
suggestion of the industrial commission
little is liable to be done. With a watch