Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-09
POSITION OF TRUSTS
They Are Going Ahead and
Forming New Combinations.
WILL FIGHT THE SUITS
CONFIDENT OF ABILITY TO WITH
STAND ATTACKS.
Do Not Appear to Be at All Afraid of
Adverse Legislation From Either
Political Party.

II is a subject of comment in political
circles that Notwithstanding the declara-
tionS against trusts from official sources
and the threats of determination uttered by
both political parties, the trusts are not
only going ahead undismayed, with busi-
ness at the old stand, but preparations are
under way for launching several new
trusts.
Chicago newspapers are full of accounts
of the alleged contemplated formation of a
beef and packers trust of gigantic propor-
tions. The mother trust IS to combine the
small beef trusts which recently have
demonstrated their power to control prices
1t is said that the new packers trust will
rival the billion dollar steel trust in it's
scope and power, though perhaps not in its
capitalization.
New Trusts Forming.
The new trust is to be formed within the,
existing law, of course, and it is against
this law that President Roosevelt and his
supporters in Congress win make war 1t
is considered significant however, that the
trust makers exhibiting such ndiffer-
ence to the trust breakers. Whether the
Indifference is born of open defiance or
skepticism Of the power of any administra-
ton to get an effectual antitrust law
through any Congress, democratic or repub-
lican, the fact remains that there is no
sign of alarm on the part of the trusts.
An Associated Press dispatch from Gin
cinnati today says:
"A report comes from the east that a
movement was started for the purpose of
combining all the eastern candy companies
under one management. The movement is
said to be backed by the Standard Oil Com
pany. According to current report the
Standard Oil Company has been. engaged in
securing proprietorship Of the most ex-
tensive sugar plants in the west, which
lends color to the report of the eastern
candy combine"
Will Fight Pending, Suits.
The New York Sun today publishes an
anonymous interview with steel trust Of
fetal, In which the declaration is made that
the steel trust will fight the suits now pend
ing in court for injunctions againts pro-
posed exchanges in stocks of that corpora
ton. That official said that there would be
no attempts at setting suits out of court
but that they would be fought tooth and
nall
Last summer the official continued,
we fought formidable strike, and this
summer we are also engaged in fighting
Strlke-a strike of another kind-and you
can be sure we will fight it just as hard"
In every quarter, therefore, there is dis
position on the part of the trusts to express
confidence in their ability to withstand at
tacks, whether from legal or political
sources.
No Fear of Adverse Legislation.
1t is well known to persons who kept in
touch with the trust question In Congress
during the past session that the trust mag
mates who visited the capital from time to
time expressed no fear of adverse legisla-
ton from either political party. They paid
no attention whatever to the fulminations
of the democrats, having in mind the fact
during the last democratic administration,
with the House, Senate and presidency in
the control of that party, no record was
made against the trusts.
so far as the democrats are concerned,
the trustmakers rely upon divisions of opn-
ION IN that party to prevent action, even if
the democrats should ever come back into
power. 1t Is doubtful, it is claimed, in the
event of the election of democratic House
next fall, whether an antitrust bill could be
passed through that body. The democrats
could not agree in the last Congress on the
question of a remedy for trust evils, the
old issue Of state rights being the wedge
which divided opinion with the majority.