The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1902-10-02

publican party did not intend to make
war upon capital organized to effect
wholesome results. The business af-
fairs of the country are of such mag
nitude that they are beyond the limits
of mere individual capacity. Our in
dustrial growth and the development
of our vast domestic trade and our
trade with the four quarters of the
globe demand proper organization of
capital. There is not a community
where companies are not organized
and engaged in business. Their stock
is distributed and frequently in the
hands of people of moderate means.
OF capital to organize to promote in
dustry and develop commerce and en-
gage in legitimate trade and compe-
tition.
We demand that all corporations
shall observe the law. They are the
creations Of the law and must always
be amenable to It. and so long as they
do not contravene the public interest
they are entitled to its protection, but
where their purpose or effect is to re-
strict bushes or control prices and
therefore to increase the cost of living
and the necessaries Of life. they are
prejudicial to the public welfare, a
menace to the best interests of the peo-
pie. and should be restrained or pro-
hibited By law.
The subject Is not one to be dealt
with In the heat Of passion. nor in any
rash spirit. but deliberately and with
full knowledge. Invective and mere
denunciation will avail nothing. We
must proceed with clear vision. First
locate the disorder. and then apply
the remedy. Apply It with resolution
and IN no half-hearted way. The law
breaker must be made to feel the just
penalties of the law without fear and
without favor.
The word trust" has come to be ap-
piled in loose and inaccurate way to
all large combinations of capital, re-
gardless of whether their object and
effect are beneficial or injurious to the
public interest. We should not be
confused by this and led to make an
assault upon capital organized for and
engaged In promoting necessary and
proper ends. The word trust" has
been made odious by certain combina-
| tons which were law-defying and
which sought. improperly, to stifle CON-
petition and to destroy and drive out
opposition with the hope of imposing
undue exactions upon the public. We
should not allow the odium which has
been attached to the word trust" to
attach to corporations whose purpose
or effect is entirely within the limits
| of just and wholesome competition.
The Republican party has under.
| taken to deal with the trust question
| in rational and effective manner. 1t
| put upon the national statute books
the only law enacted, which makes T.
legal all combinations or conspiracies
formed in restraint of trade or COM
merce among the states and foreign
nations. It was the first to put the seal
of national condemnation upon those
combinations which properly fall with,
| in the definition of the word trust"
General Harrison. In his first annual
message to congress. recommended
such legislation. He declared that
when combinations Of capital, com
monty called trusts. were organized
ito crush out all healthy competition
and to monopolize the production for
sale Of an article of commerce and gen.
eral necessity. they are dangerous con.
spiracies against the public good and
should be made the subject of prohib
tory and even penal legislation"
Following the recommendation OF
the president Senator Sherman OF
Ohio introduced In the senate an anti
trust bill. which was subsequently en-
| acted into law and is now upon the
statute books. II will thus be seen
that the measure was essentially OF
Republican parentage. Not only that
1t has been administered by Republi
can administrations. The administra
tons of Harrison, Mckinley and Roos'
evelt have not allowed it to become
q
upon the statute books. but they en-
forced 1t In numerous actions brought
In the courts of the country. The suits
have not been brought for purely vex
atious or political purposes. but have
been instituted where it was believed
the law had been violated in manner
prejudicial to the public interest
Combinations of capital In restraint Of
free and wholesome commerce are
evil. but they are inexpressibly less
hurtful and dangerous than would be
the wanton assault upon proper and
legitimate enterprise for mere politi
cal purposes.
A number of actions are now pend
ing for the enforcement of the drastic
penalties Of the antitrust law. They
have been instituted by President
Roosevelt because demanded In the
public interest. Il is for the courts Il
determine whether the actions arr
well-founded and whether the Laws
are sufficient to accomplish the pur
pose Of congress. II Is not at all nee
essary to resort to such dangeroul
and unscientiflc expedient as that o
overthrowing the tariff system to reacl
the evils which may from time Il
. time inhere in trusts. One of tn,
greatest correctives of abuses Is pub
, licity. and publicity should be requir
ed wherever abuses are supposed t
exist. 1t will result in better under
standing, and those which will not b.
: dealt with in more summary way b,