The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-30

1t is said on what seems to be good au-
thOrity that President Roosevelt will soon
order a movement against other alleged
trusts similar TO that now going on against
the beef trust. The word trust is here used
in its popular sense TO designate any sort
Of a combination to control trade or prices.
1t is limited that the sugar trust will be the
next 10 receive the Presidents attention, at
least TO the extent OF ordering investi-
cation Of the facts regarding it. He is said
to have been assured by persons who pro-
fess TO know that the sugar trust acts in
exactly the same way as the beef trust, ar
bitrarily raising and lowering prices and
violating the law in regard TO the distribu-
ton and sale OF its product. The President
is said to have stated that if proof could be
furnished him of this fact he would at once
direct the attorney general to proceed
against the sugar trust The latter is
powerful combination and an attack upon
ii in the courts would be a courageous act
on the part of the President, though per-
haps no more so than the attack upon the
Northern Securities Company and the So
called beef trust.
Some persons will probably question the
political sagacity of the President in thus
throwing down the gauntlet to these great
combinations of capital and will predict
disastrous results for himself personally
and for the Republican party. 1t is not
likely the President is giving any thought
to personal considerations, and he would
not willingly inaugurate a policy that could
possibly hurt the Republican party unless
he felt impelled by an overpowering sense
of duty TO do so. The Journal realizes the
power in politics of great corporations and
capitalistic combinations, but it does not
believe the Republican party will lose any
thing by holding such corporations TO strict
compliance with common and statutory
law for the protection of the rights of the
people. Corporations and combinations are
entitled to their rights as such and TO the
protection of the law in exercising them,
but they have no right to restrict trade or
by monopoly or other artificial means to
raise the prices OF the necessaries of life to
the people. Nobody will fear that Pres
ident Roosevelt will engage i'm an indis-
criminate warfare against capital, but he
would be derelict in duty if he did not at
tempt to protect the people against Illegal
combinations of capital He is not respon-
sble for the passage of the Sherman act,
but he is responsible for its enforcement.
Nobody knows just what those who passed
the law really intended what it would
accomplish If rigidly enforced. But the
law is on the statute books and should be
enforced. 1t certainly means something,
and it is the duty of the President, through
the law officers of the government to find
out what IL does mean. IL IL is weak. let it
be demonstrated. If it is unconstitutional,
| let that be shown. But if it will, when
| properly enforced. prevent great monop-
| oily which controls some necessary of life
from controlling prices. controlling dis
tricts and driving rival dealers out of bust
ness. then that should be known in order
that the law can be used for the protection
| of the people. The President is on the
right track. and the people will support
| him whether the corporations do or not