The Washington times., 1901-10-13
CircrIntfon stafcment.
The Only MnN.


curb these great monopolies will react
upon the wageworkers: others will be
anxious to discriminate between the
good trusts and the bad" ones. while
still others will raise all sorts of legal
objections.
Even now it is openly declared by
many that the only way to deal with
the trusts is through the State Legisla-
lures, the inefiiciency of which was long
since conclusiveIy shown. In every case
the trusts have either controlled the
Legislatures or the officers whose duty
it has been to enforce the laws. No
remedy will ever be adequate which
depends upon the whims and caprices
of forty-five different legislative bodies.
Saying nothing of the multiplied oppor-
tunities for defeating the enactment of
laws, making them defective, and in
operative after they are enacted, the
laws would vary in character and lead
to endless confusion. Besides all this,
there would be some States in which
there would be no antitrust legislation
at all. and these would constitute har-
bors of refuge in which a vast amount
in many cases complicating and render
ing difficult the enforcement Of such
legislation in other States.
Legislation by the several States is
well enough as far as it goes, but the
evil is a national one, and it calls for
national treatment. Here We are con-
fronted by the plea that constitution
al amendment is necessary to give Con-
gress the power TO act in the matter.
The claim is made that trust business
is not Interstate in character, and,
therefore, not a matter within the con
stitutional powers of the Federal Gov
ernment. If this argument were made
by those who are sincerely desirous of
doing something, it would carry much
more weight; but almost invariably it
is put forth by those who are simply
looking for excuses for not doing any
thing, which tinges it with suspicion
from the first. Instead of assuming in
advance that such legislation would be
invalid, men sincerely desirous of af-
fording relief would favor the enact
ment of laws which If valid would be
effectual, and leave the Supreme Court
to pass upon their constitutionality.
To oppose Congressional action upon
the assumed ground that the Constitu-
ton stands in the way is to aid the
trusts more effectually than by openly
defending them, because it is mislead-
ing. When a man declares boldly that
the trusts are a benefit TO the country
we know where he stands and how to
deal with him; but when he pretends
to oppose them, at the same time rails
ing technical bubbles which favor
them, he may sneak into office or keep
himself in under false pretences.
Everybody knows or ought to know
that if the trust evil is not checked
otherwise than through an amendment
to the Constitution, the relief Will not
come soon enough to do the present
generation much good. First, it viii be
no easy matter 10 obtain the necessary
two-thirds vote in Congress-it may be
impossible. No less difficult would it be
to secure it's ratification by three
fourths of the States. The trusts would
move heaven and earth to prevent it,
and by concentrating their efforts in
particular States (they would only need
If, in any event. the amendment should
carry, they would still have just as
good a chance with Congress as they
have now; perhaps better, for all OF this
would probably take three or four
years, and in the meantime the trusts
would have grown bigger and stronger
There is, however, one thing that can
be done. 1t is plain, simple, and just
1t is a remedy to which no man can OBJ
ject if he is honestly in favor of any
measure Of relief. The protective du-
ties can be taken from articles the pro-
duction Of which is controlled by the
trusts. There IS no question OF consti-
tutional law involved in such procedure
II may rot be 4 full ard perfect rem
edy, but it certainly viii DO some good.
The trusts viii be compelled to meet
fair competition and forced TO content
themselves with such advantages as
their large capital may give them. As
it is. they not only have these advan-
tages, bat they stand sheltered and Sc
cure behind the ramparts of protection,
which gives them an absolute monopoly
of the American market, and enables
them 10 FIX the prices almost where
they with But we shall no doubt find
even this reasonable and righteous
measure of relief opposed by many who
claim TO be indignant over the exac-
tions and extortions Of the trusts. AL
ready is such opposition foreshadowed.