Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-01


competitive manufactures in order tina
competition might be wholly or sub
stantially eliminated. the inexorabl
tongue in the bell of nations life RAM
out a warning, and we shall be false t
all the traditions Of our party If w
do not meet with promtitude and in
telligence this new problem in the at
fairs of men.
Il may put snother irstrnce. TIL,
extension of the railway systems of thu
United States has done more to IN
prove and beautify our fertile empire
than any other one element In tn,
problem of progress, and to the genius
and provision of the men who projec'
ted and carried forward these might,
works Of internal improvement, the ma
ton owes debt Of gratitude which car
only be fifty discharged by the mos
righteous insistence upon their full ant
adequate protection. For my part I an
an advocate Of railway extensions anc
l would look with the highest favor
upon railway and steamship line tina
would encircle the earth. adding safet,
and convenience and cheapness to the
traffic of the world. Being SO fully un.
derstood my thought can be best ex.
pressed by this Illustration: If there
We're two such lines competing witt
each other for the favor Of their patrons
l would rejoice in their prosperity anc
watch with pride their success, how.
ever great, but If it were proposed tina,
one should buy the other and thus des
troy the principle OF competition,
would hold the mover Of such project
as an enemy to good government and
foe to human progress.
Extension, thru competition. is the
motto Of independence and advance
Consolidation towards monopoly is the
maxim OF slavery and decadence.
have heard 1t often said that the ten
dency of consolidation was one of the
necessary incidents In the evolution Of
our age and that to strike 1t with the
strong hand of the law will be to inflict
a mortal wound upon the body of In
dustry. reject the conclusion.
Every period Of the worlds history
exhibits tendencies Of like character
They have been overcome and the world
moved on. The strong. ambitious
spirits of every age have sought alb
soiute dominion, and the consultations
OF the last few years simply furnish
another illustration Of the towering de-
sire to rule. For centuries the ten
dency was Tor a few resoulte men OF
genius and capacity to govern their
fellow men, and it required weary
years and the blood Of many patriots
to overcome the tendency and to es-
tablish the right of competition In
government. competition in which
every citizen, high or low, learned OF
unlearned. had his fair and even
chance. 1t Is just so in the realm OF
commerce.
Il do not wonder that a man like Mr.
Morgan, with few associates, desires
to control all the transportation facil-
tiles OF the United States, as we'll as
the seas that wash the shores OF, the
republic. It is the natural ambition
OF a conquerer. or do wonder that
some other men. with few associates
desire to control the manufacture and
sale Of the products OF iron and steel
It is the natural prompting of a sue
cesful trader In confidence and Gre
dulity. I deeply admire the mind that
can create designs so vast and project
a commercial empire so limitless. The
American people, however. will no
more submit to commercial despotism
than they would to governmental des-
potism, and the tendency in the one
case can be, and will be, as easily
thwarted as the tendency in the other.
All this can be done, and will be done,
without harm to the sound, healthy
body Of American industry. and it will
not halt for a single moment in Its
swift march toward victories more
splendid than have hitherto crowned
its efforts. ! understand perfectly
that the problem before us is q grave
one, but I am not dismayed, because
we are In the habit Of meeting grave
problems. I understand, also. that the
final solution Of the problem may not
come this year or next fyear. ADJUST
ments OF our constitutions and laws to
complished in moment. The repub-
lican party in congress has made a be-
and l believe wise beginning,
and these laws, which stand as mon
ument to the wisdom and the courage
Of our party, are now made the effect
I've instruments in the hands of re-
publican president to begin the contest
which will never end until the, question
has ben completely and wisely answer
ed. believe it to be the duty Of every
good citizen, and the two are synono-
nous. to say what. he thinks upon a
subject SO vital to the welfare of the
for thus. and t1ussalone. will
we finally gather that consensus of
judgment which must stand as the
highest wisdom Of mankind.
Many remedies have been proposed,
and it Is, hope. with proper humility
that / suggest, first, that no corpora
ton, whether industrial or otherwise,
should be permitted to issue stock I'M
less paid for In moneyat Its par value.
II In recent years such a law had been
in existence and enforced, I believe
that many of the combinations which
have excited alarm would not have
been made.
Second believe that some branch
of the government must be vested with
the power to fix the prices of products
or service upon which a monopoly, or
monopoly, has been es-
tablished. This may, sound somewhat
startling, but when you reflect that
and law are the two,
and the only two. forces that can be
Invoked to regulate such subjects. 1t
must be apparent that when bold and
men have overcome one
force they must be met with the other.
I believe, too, that some branch Of
AZ a =
remove the duties upon imports upon