Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-10-10

the problems that are to be SOLVED
should not be veNed with partisan dis
pute. Unfortunately however, 1T is
mot true that we have met upon friend
~ ground. The democratic party
with the fatal facility for error which
clares for free trade in trust made
goods, just as it declares for free
trade in all other things.
Trusts Not All Monopolies.
Its proposal makes no discrimination
between the wheat and the tares. We
are told that something like two thou
sand years ago Herod wanted to gel
rid of the child Christ and he killed al
the babies round about Jerusalem. The
democrats propose the same plan. Her.
od failed and Christ lived. Just sc
the democrats would fail and the trusts
would live. They have forgotten moth
ing; they have learned nothing.
1t has been said by llustrious leaders
of the republican party that a modifi-
cation of the tariff is not a remedy fol
the trusts. take this opportunity to say
for the republicans OF Iowa. who have
adopted the platform which have read
that they wholly agree with this view
and have not proposed to effeetual!y
repair the wrongs that are perpetrated
by unlawful combinations. by any re-
adjustment or abatement of the tariff
schedules.
1t is to be regretted that we have not
found word that will more accurately
point out the thing meant than the
term trusts No thinking man can
doubt that large corporations are abs
solutely necessary to carry on, with
convenience and economy, the growing
business of the world, and however
great corporation becomes, If 1t de-
yelcrs in n natural way. thru the rec
ognized laws of commerce and thru the
energy and sagacity of it's managers
against the competition of others en-
gagged in like business. it ought not to
be the object of disfavor or condemna-
ton: on the other hand. it should be the
subject of just pride and mark the ris-
ing tide of a better civilization.
These are not the corporations which
excite public indignation, and which,
whether we desire it or not, must be
examined and discussed in this cam
paign. The corporations or combina-
lions to which the Iowa platform re-
fers are those which have been brought
together, not to outstrip competition In
fair race, but to destroy competition
by the actual obliteration of indepen-
dent establishments, and which accom-
plish their purpose either by puEahase
or piracy. They are Invariably accem-
panied by the issuance of vast quanti-
ties of stocks which have no basis save
the audacity of promoters and which
serve two ends equally Objectionable,
first, to nerich beyond comprehension
the movers of the nefariOus enterprises,
and second. TO cloak the enormous prof
its which may be extorted from their
hapless victims. While l believe that
the plan they adopt is as weak as ii is
and that the ordinary operation
of the immutahle laws of commerce
would in the course of time overthrow
them, nevertheless. it is the duty of the
to hasten their disintegra-
tion and downfall by every power with
in the scope of organized society. Per-
sonally am of the opinion that the two
direct remedies to be employed are.
first, to prevent the issuance of stock in
excess of the money or the real value
of the property contributed to the cor
poration and, second, to define more
clearly the crime of establishing or at
to establish a monopoly.
Along the latter path the republican
party is already steadily marching, and
it will march steadfastly to the end.
But the republican party of Iowa be-
lieves that there is one other thing that
can be done to aid the general UNDER
taking. Diminishing from our consider
alton for the moment the monopolies
which congress grants thru letters pa
tent to encourage invention, and the
quasi public corporations over which
the government has assumed control,
it must be admitted that competition is
and must continue to be, until we are
willing to enter complete socialism,
law of industry and COM
merce.
Competition Must Be Preserved.
There are but two forces that car
be trusted to fix INSTRUMENTATION
and the regulation OF organized govern
ment. The latter is totally inadmissa-
BILE, and we must preserve the former.
1t is, therefore, the high and imperative
duty of the government to SO adjust
its laws that there will be the least pos
sible motive for the destruction of com
petition.
With respect to many things we have
the field Of competition and
confined it to American territory by
tariff duties, under the belief so Well
expressed by Mr.. Blaine, who in his
Twenty Years of Congress wrote, Pro-
lection in Go --fre<iapof it's design,
as described by Mr.. hamilton. does not
invite competition from abroad, but is
based on the controlling principle that
at home will always pre-
vent monopoly ON the part of capital
lists, assure good wages to the laborer
and defend the consumer against the
evils of eNtortion.''
The experience of the past few years,
however, has shown us that ambitious
spirits are able to establish and main
tain monopolies in some of the impor-
tant-products of industry. and with re-
speGt to these things it is self-evident
that the tariff duties. in some measure,
are a shelter, because they deprive us
of the opportunity to invite competi-
ton from other lands.
The Iowa Idea.
Fortunately, while the combinations
produce many things, they have, as yet,
been able to secure monopolies in few
but aNarice is persistent, and
what may be accomplished in the flu
ture no man dare predict. Therefore,,
The republicans of Iowa say that when
trade in any protected commodity
reaches the point of a sinqle producer,