Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-09-19

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lint the suit has only just started on
! ls long and tedious trip of several
vars duration, at the end of which
Die United States will have large
BIN Of costs and for special counsel
70 pay.
lin the meantime the very meat
fuckers who are defendants in the
spit, and who are supposedly enjolned
ffom doing anything naughty in the
Way of combinations of trade, have
shown what they think of Mr.. Attor-
nfy General Knox and his bills in
ehuity, and his injunctions, by prompt
u organizing under his very eyes a
ttust which is understood to be eff
ffctive in a few days,-Athus leaping
oyer his injunction fence and break
Ing through his legal cobwebs, while
the people keep on paying as high
Tfices as ever for the meat they eat.
What the President proposes to do
II to ask Congress-the same Congress
Which has refused to ratify a single
one of the twenty odd reciprocity
tfeaties he has negotiated, and has
tfeated with contempt his request to
Aye 10 the starving wards Of the ma
ton a beggarly measure of relief, at
be insolent dictation of the head of
tae beet-sugar trust-to propose by a
tTo-thirds vote q constitutional amend
Dient for three-fourths Of the States
u agree to which, when adopted, will
give some succeeding Congress the
ppwer to pass law by which corpora
tons may be treated as the moonshin-
ets of the Tennessee mountains now
are treated, with their plants and Of
fees filled with paid spies, detectives
ahd informers, and their books and
archives and trade secrets subject to
dpmiciliary visits, or sold by unscrup-
nlous officials to business rivals. And
| this alleged remedy the President has
named publicity. To the extent that
| the scheme could be in any way eff
fectual to really expose trust evils
there is no earthly probability tha
either Congress or the States woult
consent to its adoption, and the aglta
tion of 1t can serve no purpose except
the political one of confusing the pop
ular mind.
10 the extent that it may be mad,
| to do this political service, and yet
| neither hurt the trusts, nor relieve tho
people from their eXactions. there Is
reason to believe that the plan may
be made effective, and that the trusts
are themselves quite willing that i
should be. That is to say, the com
bInes would agree to federal Law
putting them under exclusive fedora
legislation-provided 1t be made en-
tlrely innocuous to them, as it easil.
could be made to be-and they conl,
thus escape all control by the States
some Of which are hostile to these In
dnstrial highwaymen and their free
bpoting methods.
| The first volume Of the Reports o
the Industrial Commission seems t
show that this inference is warranted
JOHN ID. Rockefeller was witnes
before this Commission, and, bein
asked what legislation in trust maj
ters he thought necessary, replied
"Fhst, federal legislation under whic
corporations may be created and rec
nlated If that be possible ~
Mr. Archbold, vice president of tn
Standard Oil company, testified; 9TH
next great and to my mind, inevi
: able step of progress In the directio
or commercial development lies In til
direction of national or federal co
, pbratlons,'
. Henry II. Rogers, II director In til
: Lslme company, was asked IL he agree
With Mr.. Archbold In this respect, an
answered: "Niost certainly"
John w. Gates, another trust maj
nate, snid: Il would be very muc
: III favor of having national charter
!, gtantcd"
. Mr. James B. Dill, an expert tfu
! Promoter and familiar In trust cou
5 s,lls testified; you have got to con
down TO a statute In each State thu
Q wpll place foreign corporation on II
D slime level as n domestic, or else
e higher up and grant federal chart
h IA those corporations which are tru
l. and In the widest sense federal COZ
e phnies.' And Mr. Din thought III
}. n federal legislation could be wis
: l,e' brought about, you win find Il
t- larger corporations will he seeking h
"A | advantages of the national net "