The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-10-09

hidden or declared TO be unlawful by this
act may sue therefor" etc.
er. rh S word person, or persons. wher
include corporations and associations exist
me under or authorized by the laws VI
e enr the United states. or the laws of
any or the Territories or the laws Of any
state or the laws Of any foreign country"
CHANGE IN TRUST METHODS.
This language is quite far-reachlng. ana
is certainly drastic. Under It no trust OF
The original type has over for a inomcut
presumed to live. They went out Of bust
ness. every last one Of them, and they went
instanter. 1t cured the entire evil as It
then existed, with the exception that 1t left
untouched the disposition. which has exist
ed in the human breast for some centuries,
to escape competition whenever possible.
This disposition has led to new methods for
accomplishing the same results,
The Sherman acti had not been on the
statute books very long when someone con
ceivod the idea that a great corporation
could he organized which should own more
than one concern, or plant, or factory. I'm
der this method competitors sell TO large
corporations created for the purpose, usual
ly taking stock In the new organization sui-
fcient to cover the price agreed upon for
! the plant sold. This method continues ut
| the present time.
1t will be readlly seen. / think, that the
! present method Is more difficult TO reach
| than the former. Men are permitted to
| own two farms-to operate one aud TO keep
4 the other idle. They are permitted to own
two coal mlnes-to operate one ar both as
| they please, Shall they not he permitted
| TO own two grist mills, or two foundries or
dozen brick yards or wooden mills and
| operate ono or all rs they please and II
| not where shall the limit be placed! say
this simply to suggest that the way Is Diff
| cult, not to suggest that II is impossible.
This sherman act was passed July ,. 1890.
| On March 4. 1893, the hitherto minority
] party came into control. Their platform
declared specifically against trusts and
| promised additional laws for their remedy.
! But as ! have suggested, II Is easier 10
| draft resolutions for political conventions
! than 1t Is 10 draft laws for statute books.
/ That democratic congress convened in spe-
| ca session Immediately after the inaugu'
| ration of Mr.. Cleveland, remained In ses-
! sion all summer, reconvened, and went out
\ Of existence by lapse Of times and " any
gentleman present can point out a single
| provision or law enacted by that congress,
| for the protection of the people against
! trusts, combines and monopolies not al
| ready contained In the sherman antitrust
| act I will thank him to name the provision.
| That congress simply recnactcd In alb
! hreviated form most Of the important pro-
visions of the sherman law, and IN very
nearly the identical language. am glad
! 10 give them credit for that. But 5he fact
| remains that the nblest the hroadcSt-mlnd-
! cd. the most conscientious men in the dom
4 ocratic party burned midnight oil before
/ that John sherman act and arose as from
| their lnecs with the ejaculation: at can
! not be improved" | am not expressing the
! opinion that II can not he improved only
! state that that was the conclusion reached
| by the democratic party.
MIR. BRYAN's PROPOSAL.
Since the passage OF that act twelve
years ago, more than 1900 men, about
! equally divided between the two great par
| ties, have been elected to congress and 10
| The United States senate. And more thAn
1 twice that number have been deteateu,
| either i'm convention or at the polls, and
| every one Of them has been ambitious and
| every one has known that II he could ada
paragraph, line, sentence phrase or Wori
| 10 the Sherman act to make II more drastic
| or 10 render II more easy OF enforcement
| his political fortunes were assured. And "
! Is also safe to say that no one has talieu
! to give the question most careful consldera-
! tim Mhuy of them made their preconNen-
ton canvass on that Issue, and promised
| ibut in very general terms. he II remarked
tNpromptly solve the trouble, But MOI one
| OF them, Of either party, has been able 70
| define the thing more specifically than JQhh
sherman defined II, and no one OF all that
number has been able thus far to propose
| n remedy more effective than tue remedy
contained IN the act as " isIi i me pen oe az
! formulated but they have proven imprac'
tical, or already covered by the sherman
act itself -. IA
the opposition forces in National cam.
paign was himself four years In congress
hut what he has said on the irnst lSs9s
since his retirement far exceeds all ne diqi
on the trust subject while In congress. !
do not saw this unkindly. have no DOUBT
that In sincerity and with the very pest
| ability he could muster he tried TO hnd Z
way TO Improve It, But ne t2unq 1oIle JnS
to note some things he has said on Ine
subject. on the 18th day OF August, 1870
the evening before the democratic conveh'
tiou In Iowa, ne maze speecu, ~ ny ,ota
house In Des Moines, from which quote
as follows: s..t -,,A,
the trust because IT can not ngnt DeSong
lis own borders. The National government
N the only force that can reach into az nv
States and pluck the evil wherever II may
he found and annlhiate i, am not guar
relling with the proposhl9n' th99thEt, n ~ Nv
saw that If each State would annlhllate tn'
evil within its borders there would be morn
+. Ing left for the Federal government 10 90
In the premises. ,...or,,,,i
90 No law as II exists, MIR. Bsyan added:
"Rut YOU say, suppose the attorney gen
eral does enforce the lazy. Leu Nun teroi y,
mend q law that is SUFFICIENT " my ~, ~
ne sunreme court viii hold II unconstnu
tlonol. then let him recommend Jaw .
s. congrees that viii empower that body y
adequately deal with trusts $50
| From this j understand lndt ne nuns
rocagnizes his Inability 10 suggest a bette
law he thinks the attorney general I,,, og KS
| to he able 10 draft one; but be ADMITS tne
law that would attempt 70 deal VIII
state corporations. unless they engage !
,nterstate commerce, would be unconstitu
t,onai Then be wants the attorney ger
ersI to draft an amendment "a the constl
tntion Marx you be wants the attorne.
general to do all this why does he no
d,~f- law hinstf; He Is said 20 hay
graft.S n convention plank or two. All
not crlIIclspg him an SCREENING ~, rs p lsy
is n exists. and l make this. quotation Z
SHOW that the sbrewdest politician ana te
nest orator Of the opposition party s5 ,l !.
befero the sherman law himself unable .
suggest any Improvement.
HARD TO GET EVIDENCE
The importance of this subject Justice
this relteration of what has been done a. q.
readv flstcnl During Mr. Cleveland
erat administration democratic eonsres
declared the task beyond its strength Ia
arst republican congress under Presiden
Harrison passed the sherman law and