The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1902-02-15
A FALSE CHARGE.
Bryan Explains the Difference Be.
tween a Corporation and Trust.

The editor of 1.-The COmmoner has
received a clipping containing the fol-
lowing charge against Senator james
K. Jones of Arkansas:
Washington, D. G. June a.
II zee by last Wednesdays New York papers
that the great cotton trust held meeting In
New York City and among the directors elected
was Senator James X. Jones, OF Arkansas. VINO
is the chairman Of the National Democratic
Committee. Now then, as our great standard
bearer, William Jennings Bryan, fought out his
campaign against trusts and tyranny, which
was one of our principle issues, move that
Jones step down and out rs we want no
schemers or trust officials In our ranks,
Very truly,
This charge was made during the late
campaign and the editor of 1.-THE Com
moner" investigated 1t. On another
page will be found q letter written by
Senator Jones to Mr.. Lesueur, then
editor of the Kansas City Times,
setting forth the facts.
Senator Jones owns some OF the COM
mon stock of the American Cotton COM
pany. His letter explains that he be.
became interested In the Graves patent
for making a round cotton bale. A
question of infringement arose and the
parties interested, instead of settling it
by lawsuit, compromised, each claim.
ant taking an interest In the patent AS
the development of the patent required
q large amount of money, a corporation
was formed. Senator Jones, as q part
owner of the patent, received stock In
the company and was made one of the
directors. This company has been
called a trust, but 1t has none Of the
characteristics OF trust. In the first
place, 1t operates under patent, and
the opponents Of trusts make no war on
patents. A patent is granted for lin
tied period as reward to one who gives
to the world a new idea. A patent Is
an act Of Justice to the inventor, and an
incentive to further invention. The
Democratic party has never condemned
the patent system nor has 1t condemned
those who, by means Of patents, enjoy
q temporary monopoly of their inven.
tions. But the Democratic party does
condemn those who, without giving to
the public any new or useful idea, en-
deavor to secure permanent monopoly
Of the production of some necessary Of
life. The difference between a patent
and an industrial monopoly Is so great
and 40 plain that no one need confuse
them.
It has been alleged that the company
with which Senator Jones Is connected
has a monopoly of the business of com.
pressing cotton. II this were true and
the monopoly rested upon patent, 1t
would not be trust within the ordinary
meaning of the word but, as matter
of fact, Mr.. Jones company does not
handle 10 per cent. of the cotton com.
pressed In the United States-it is
nearer 8 per cent. The Republicans
say nothing about a salt trust that con-
trolls 95 per cent. of the output of salt,
but make great ado about a patent
which Ia used In COMPRISING but
small portion of the cotton crop,
The company has been criticised for
renting Its machines instead Of selling
them outright, but rs the patent law
does not prohibit the leasing of u pat.
ented article, and as this method of
realizing on q patent Is quite common,
II does not furnish valid ground for
complaint. Senator Jones explains In
his letter that, while the company, when
desired buys cotton from those who
use the round-bale process, II does not
require them to sell to the company.
In this connection the editor calls at
tention to suggestion which he has
made on u former occasion, namely,
that there should be value limit, as
we'll as q time limit TO patent. In
other words, that the patent should
expire whenever reasonable sum (the
amount to be fixed by law has been
realized from 1t. But even II such u
law were now In force, 1t would not
affect the cotton company, for the own.
era OF the patent have not yet realized
any considerable profit on the money
invested In the patent.
This matter has been considered at
some length because the Republicans,
unable to defend the attitude Of their
party on the trust question, have sought
TO dodge the Issue by bringing accusa'
ton against Senator Jones, the chair.
man Of the Democratic National Com.
mittee,
During the campaign the only reply
made by Republicans, when charged
with friendliness to trusts, WAS that
Tammany leaders were interested In an
Ice trust, and that Senator Jones was
interested In u cotton trust. As soon
az the campaign was over It was found
that Governor Roosevelt had, for polit-
ical reasons, suppressed Mayor Van
Wyck 9 answer.