The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-09-03
Project to Curb Trusts and Its Difi-
culties,

culties.
Lexington Ry.) Herald.
an number OF Democratic journals and
In the speeches of Democratic orators is
ports Of such articles as are produced
or controlled by trusts. This Is not a
new proposition, but 1t is a very difficult
provision to draw. In the Ffftieth Con-
the Ways and Means Committee were
grating what was known as the Minis
Dill this provision was drawn up in vari-
GUS forms, but not one was entirely salts
Factory to that committee. and no such
section or provision was embodied in the
Mills Dill. In the Fffty-second Congress
Mr.. Springer was Chairman Of the Ways
and Means Committee and the same pro-
position was discussed and various provis-
ions were drafted. In the Fifty-third
Congress when the Wilson bill was under
consideration several amendments were
offered In the committee of the whole
to accomplish the desirable purpose. but
none was adopted because none was en-
tirely satisfactory to the majority.
1t may seem very easy to draft such
a provision authorizing the suspension or
removal of imposts on the importation
or articles controlled by American trusts
put when one comes to draft 1t. Ii will
be found full of practical difficulties. We
oelieved this could be accomplished, and
we were vain enough to believe that the
proposition offered by US as an amend
ment TO the Wilson bill might have ac-
comphshed this end; but some of the
ablest leaders of the House-such men
as Henry @. Turner Of Georgia, David
b. Culberson of Texas, and others
pointed out what they thought were de-
fects. and we did not press the measure
as against the judgment of such col
leagues.
There are few, IL any, articles which
we import that are entirely under the
control s OF a trust; and they can be pro-
more ty,
can anywhere else in the world. and the
removal of the imposts on them wouIu
not materially affect the price at which
o onose articles are sold here. The ex-
produce in America all the COPPER we
use. We produce surplus. The world
ooes not produce enough copper outside
OF our boundaries for its use. The effect
al tne tarin upon copper is to make the
1Inerican user pay what the foreigner
does. plus the impost If we were to
repeal the duties on copper the Ameri-
can consumer would probably be able to
purchase the American copper at the
same price that the foreign competitor
does. This the case with a good many
OF our products Our manufacturers
sell to the home consumer at a larger
price than he does in the foreign market
But these products as a rule are not
controlled by trusts.
Pernaps the most powerful trust in
america is the Standard Oil Company
The profits of that company would be
diminished by amendments to the tariff
law. A removal of the duty. however.
would not be of any special benefit to
the American consumer. The repeal OF
the provision which gives. rebate on i'm
ported material used in exported products
Is OF great advantage to the Standard
OIL Trust. 1t imports the larger part,
II not all. of the material out of which
are made the cases in which the oil is
exported, and they get hitch rebate on
that material.
Our readers will be surprised. if they
have not examined this subject. as TO
how few articles are entirely under the
control Of any of the trusts. The most
Trust organized by j. Pierpont Morgan
and others. Yet 1t never has controlled
more than SO per cent or "a per cent of
the steel products, and according to the
increased, so that at present 1t does not
control more than, II as much as, 80 per
cent of the steel products of America.
From our standpoint all Industries would
in the end be. helped by the repeal of
the onerous duties under the Dingley
law. but II the duties on all forms of
steel and iron were removed it would
not hurt the trust any more than it would
hurt the numerous independent plants
There are practical obstacles in put
ting into operation such a provision,
which were found difficult, II not impos-
sible to overcome. Upon what testimony
shall the proper officer act In suspending
the imposts on such articles? Upon
whom shall the duty be imposed, and
in whom the enormous discretion be re-
posed to determine when this suspension
shall occur, and how long 1t shall con-
tinue1 Under what circumstances shall
the suspension be declared? 1t may be
said that these are mere questions of
procedure, matters of detail; but they
go to the very essence of the reform. To
put such a provision in a statute would
be useless unless 1t is put into execu-
ton. To put it into execution requires
the action of some officer. The officer
must act upen information. Therefore.
upon what information? What shall be
the nature of the proceeding before that
officer? How shall the manufacturer be
heard and who shall be the officer?
One can see at once the tremendous
thus given to such an officer,
and the danger of it's improper use.
Another difficulty, probably still more
Is the correlation OF all in
dustries No industry in America can
he isolated; none can be separated TO
itself With the manufacture of steel
ia inextricably involved coal operations,
the transportation of material. banking
operations and financial conditions. we
need not extend the enupmeration OF in
terests which are involved in such enor-
nous industrial Investments as those
the steel industry OF America
II YOU could take the Steel Trust out
blndfold it and shoot 1t to deatn unoer
the verdict of a drum head court mar
tial. we would all agree that 1t might 90
good; but when you shoot at the steer
Trust II is very difficult to state VINO Will
he hit and who will be hurt.
This Is the inherent vice OF our entlre-
tariff system. 1t Is also the protectlon
of this injurious system. If you touch