Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-10-07

of public sentiment at the ballot box.
When / see few railroad presidents
controlling all the anthracite coal
there is in the United States I think
that they ought to remember that the
power of society is great and that it
can stop them when they cross the
line of the extreme. But when will
the time come for turning back? 1t
is not for me to say, but it is for you
and all the voters to say when the
people of the United States shall de-
clare that they will not be deprived
of this great necessity.
Trusts.
"This brings me to the question OF
trusts. I will not try to define trusts.
I never did hear man try to define
trusts without getting into an argu-
ment. There are no two men who hold
the same ideas on this subject. We
have grown into habit of speaking OF
all combinations of capital as trusts.
This is wrong. 1 believe that there
are some. l believe that there are
some good combinations. There is no
question but that there are some good
results accruing to the public from the
| fact that several firms have been merg-
| ed into one. For instance, l made a
| trip, with my wife, from Iowa City to
| New York several years ago. We had
! to buy a ticket first from Iowa City to
| Davenport and check our trunks &C.
cordingly. Then we bought and check
ed to Chicago, then to Clevland, then
to Troy, and finally to New York. Now
we can buy a ticket from Iowa City
direct to New York City. I remember
when the Burlington railroad was
twent-six separate corporations. So
the habit of consolidation began. 1t is
good until it reaches the point of op-
preston.
But the question of what to do to
| curb the power of these combinations
when they do go too far is a weighty
one. In my judgment we had better
wait until the actions of the organ
, izations and of the government can pc
/! determined upon. President Rooseveit
} suggests what is probably good plan
; by saying that constitutional amend
ment may be necessary.
Not First Trouble.
"You see we had trouble in the early
DAYS of the government. This is a
dual government, as it were. The
federal courts have powers which the
!, state supreme courts do not have, and
likewise the state tribunals have pow
! ers which are not possessed by the
federal courts Neither is sovereign
q over all The question of central gov
g eminent and states rights formerly
: caused much trouble, and many thous-
! ands of brave and good men lie dead
, in southern cemeteries as a result OF
;, > this disagreement. l have no remedy
), to suggest for trusts. and no one else
a has one that is guaranteed to be right.
We Go not want to hit all the trusts,
but only want to destroy the bad ones.
"The want of knowledge is big diff
ficulty Suppose 500 men say there is a
IL beef trust. | venture to say that nc
u one of these can be found who will
g swear to the fact or prove its truth
u This furnishes difficulty which is moi
II easy to overcome.
" Result of Business Expansion.
lie think that trusts are the result o.
re expansion in business and the employ
to ment of larger methods. 1t is not un
Ii usual for us to hear now of someon
ut who has gone into transaction in
ce volving $1O0,000,000 but this was al
amount almost unheard of years age
to When George Washington died he wa
IN the richest man in America, and hi
n fortune amounted to about $4,000. j
b. was 1910 before there were ten mil
o. lionaires in the country, and when Gil
ct ard died leaving an estate valued a
% S.. 1000 ,0GG. It was regarded as one Q
he the wonders of the world. Thes
no largest transactions require large
ar. methods of doing business and NOR
We capital The question cannot be set
% tied in moment, and think it is be-
he ter for us to go ahead learning as w
he 60 until we have the situation In tn
cd palm of our hands, before taking an
an decisive action.
Ia Free Silver Dead.
~ Let me ask you, have you hear
=, any one say anything about free silve
a., a. recently? 1t is strange what hui
lie bub the democrats and populists ALLOW
hs ed themselves to get worked into owe
l. matter of which they are no
tei ashamed But, after all, we game
IN wisdom and benefits from that car
s 1s,l paign when free silver was the issu
lin 1t allowed change of base for I'll
eef ,,oar La Nv tha nosa h,, +ba nohoby
ed ~ in ~ tfton tbo+ ~ a,star,, ~
hs pie got the lead and when the silv
agitation was started the western pc
pie took the reins. They came to I'll
at front at last and for that action co
ing graduate them.
is 81 do not know what issue our dem
or cratic friends will offer us this yes
gs 1t may be going to be trusts, but the
est is a vast difference OF opinion as
ass. the remedies for this evil. In fax
hat there has been no remedy presented
in the people as yet.
RIM. Democratic Denunciations.
ny THE democrats are strong on 4
" nunciations. 1t is very easy to {
~ nounce a cyclone or winter stor
avg but it is difficult to suggest sutficie
as means for doing away with eith'
ese The democrats have for years simr
AM IT, inveighed against the evils which a
VI only too noticeable and also again