The Tucson citizen., 1902-09-05
THE REMEDY FOR TRUSTS.

The platform of the Democrats of
Arizona strikes at the trusts with force
and effectiveness. There is no manner
of doubt that the control of trusts or
the destruction of the trust system is
now the paramount question before the
American people Many remedies for
the trust evil have been suggested, but
that proposed by the Democrats of Ari-
Zona is the rational, proper and erect
i've remedy. The Arizona Democratic
platform declares:
We condemn both the legislative
and administrative policies OF the Re-
publican party, which have created
dangerous combinations of the capital
ICED corporate monopolies, have stif1ed
competition and have largely enhanced
the prices of the necessities of life.
We are in favor, therefore, of free
trade in all articles made and con-
trolled by trusts, and of such other
legislation as shall destroy the danger
Gus tendencies of the same.
That is the remedy Establish free
trade in trust-manufactured articles
and natural competition will destroy
the combinations. Compare this dl-
rect and positive policy with that sug-
gested by President Roosevelt in his
many speeches delivered during his
New England tour. The President
wants an amendment to the Constitu-
tion to enable the government to deal
with the trusts. 1t would take quar-
ter of a century under our system to
amend the Constitution, and the Presi-
dent and the trust magnates are well
aware of it.
We take it that few people have any
confidence in the efficiency of the metn-
ods proposed by the President for deal
ing with the trusts, or in his sincerity
in the matter. The Republican party
is in alliance with the trusts, and with
all the great monopolies of every de-
scription which are preying upon the
country. Under its fostering patron
age and protection they have grown
up and they have nothing to fear from
it. Mr.. Roosevelt has only one object
In life at the present time-and that is
to be nominated and elected President
In 1904. He knows very we'll that no
man can secure the Republican nomin-
alton over the opposition of the trusts,
and what he says about curbing their
power is intended for campaign pur-
poses only.
The Presidents talk of a Constitll-
tiOnal amendment to enlarge the
powers of Congress so as to enable it
to control the trusts is all fol-de-rol,
and is not to be taken seriously 1t
may be "a good enough Morgan until
after election" We shall see. But it
will serve no other purpose. Nobody
realizes better than Mr.. Roosevelt that
1t would require many years to make
any amendment to the Constitution,
and that it would be practically i'm
possible, under existing conditions, to
amend 1t in any way that would not be
agreeable to the trusts. They can
probably control enough State legisla-
lures to prevent that for a generation
TO come. AS to the publicity" of
which he has said so much, it is all
very well, but would operate chiefly as
a protection to a few investors, rather
than to the millions of consumers. It
offers no remedy for the principal evils
of the trust system.
Congress has ample power to curb
the trusts now. if it would only exercise
it. The platform of the Arizona
Democracy points the way. Let Con-
gress eliminate all the protective fea-
lures from the tariff and the thing is
done. If any legitimate industry ever
needed protection" in this country.
the time is gone by. The tariff has been
Tor years nothing but shelter for
monopoly A tariff bill could be
written on sheet of note paper, i'm
posing duties on a dozen, or fewer
articles of luxury, which would answer
RCoS
responding excises upon such of the
articles as are produced in this coun-
try no citizen would be taxed for the
benefit of another. This reform, sup
pemented by an amendment to the
interstate commerce law giving the
commission power to prohibit and pun
1sh drawbacks, rebates and all kinds of
discrimination in transportation
charges, would solve the trust prob
lem. But President Roosevelt takes
care not to recommend such whole
some If radical measures, just as he
takes care not to proceed criminally
against the law-breakers of the beef
trust.
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