The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-02-20

same trusts and manufactured in,
e print cloths and again sold back TO tn
, Johbcrs at 5 cents per yard, All advanc
of nearly 100 per cent, while the ra
material had declined nearly 100; no.
J. if the mills were making none
If when they were buying our raw ma
tcrial at 8 cents and selling the cloth
- at cents per yard imagine the ouI
' rageous robbery when they bought tn
II same raw material at 4 l-2 cents an
0 sold the manufactured goods at
, cents.
y And beside the principle of mono
poly is vicious, dangerous and intoler
; able to say nothing of cXtortion.
When an independent corporation O.
concern cannot enter the business OF
commercial world upon its merits anc
meet legitimate competition aud take
even chances with other like concerns
it should 90 to the wall and should no,
be given special privileges to practice
their outrageous cXtortions upon the
great consuming public.
Mr.. JnO. Il. Thomas, Jr., opposed
the bill. 1t is founded upon pcrnicous
and erroneous principle. lie cid not
claim that trusts should not be re-
gulatcd. But capital cannot be pre-
vented from making combinations. No
State Legislature can prevent combi-
nation. lie was doubtful if it is wise
TO attempt to so prevent them. But it
is the duty Of every citizen to see that
they arc properly regulated. There is
Il correct principle Of legislation for the
| lnf ~ l.:
nation of railroads into systems has
not in an evil sense affected the Dco.
pie, because the State has regulated
The rates. lie doubted the truth of the
saying that " g )mpctition Is tho life of
trade" lie declared that the cl-
| cheney Of the service is Increased with
the size of the concerns. Whenever
mercantile or manufacturing cstoblish-
mcnts become combined until they be-
come monopolics, then they should be
regulated. He agreed that there arc
| evils in the operations of the trusts,
but they cannot be cured by grating
on our statute books laws taken bodily
from tic statute books of Texas. He
then attacked the bill in some of its
provisions, particularly the section pre-
to control the sale of patents and
patented articles. This would prevent
company from being organized to
manufacture a patented cotton planter,
etc. lie did not believe that, when
ever "forcign capital" " is referred to
in legislation they should make the
cry, "dOn't drive foreign capital
away" "but he believes that the foreign
capital should be sub ject to regulations.
However, there should be bill to cor.
rect specific evil and not TO gcneralizc
Mr.. NJ. l.. Smith, of Kcrshaw, fol-
lowed Mr.. Thomas. The people of
the State had in 1884 elected their
wisest men to frame a constitution for
the State. That constitution makes it
mandatory upon the General Assem-
bly, TO pass laws TO prevent the forma-
ton of trusts, combinations Of capital.
The constitution says "shall." 1t is
not in the organic law of the law Of
| the State to g regulate" as Mr. Them
as argued, but to "prevent."
MIR. Smith then went on TO say that
the law now on the statute books is in
violation Of the interstate commerce
law, and will some day be wiped off
the statute books.
The antitrust laws in 33 States arc
no more radical than this proposed
measure. There is need for proper
antitrust laws. He declared that if
this kind of law would keep capital out
of the State, why docs Texas hold on
to the llogg law? The bill allows one
firm or one corporation tU unite with
| a -,
not for the purpose Of controlling
prices and driving out competitors.
That IS what the bill seeks TO prohibit.
1t is question of fact TO be passed up
Oh by a jury.
The constitution gives the right to
the Legislature to take away the cor
poratc rights of companies violating
tho laws Of the State.
He was followed by Mr.. Weston
who declared that he is not the repre-
sentative Of any tlust. The General
Assembly cannot in being true TO it,
self do anything which will in lure the
interests of the State. lie told how l.
} q. G. Lamar had gone contrary to The
J wishes Of the people Of Mississippi, but
had by them been indicated, as he
llftl uOilC WHtiI WAS IlSul ana Wnal
, they afterwards saw was right. lie
. attacked popular legislation which will
, not be benz icial to the interests of tho
l State. lake Addison's Cato, he dc
J plorcd the creature who would become
great on his States ruin.
= Mr.. Weston went on to say that il
f South Carolina should adopt such ;
f law as this she would be blacklistc,
T. and capital would seek Investments
: elsewhere. He stated that this bill
@ had been killed two years ago. (Mr
: Johnson stated that it had not beer
/ killed in tins House } Mr.. Weston
c answer cd that the House might hav,
= passed it hoping for the Senate to XII
Il 1t. AS stOckhoidrr IN Il fertilzc
company which had sold to the Nir
Il ginia Carolina Chemical Company h
d declared that they found little none
C in the business and were glad TO sell l.
(. the larger corporation. This h
} woull keep a man from accepting tn
agency for bicycle or a sewing MI
ID chine manufacturer.
l. Mr.. Ruckcr asked if the Virgini;
c. Carolina had built single plant in til