The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-10-09
AT ANNUAL OHM Err.

tertains Secretary shaw md Othe
Notable Men-Mr. Shaw's Remarks.
Boston. Oct. S.-More. than ordinar.
dinner of the Republican Club o
Massachusetts at symphony Hall to
night from the fact that the club hai
as its guest L. NJ. Shaw, the Score
Jary OF the Treasury, whose recen
measures as the head of the Treasur.
Department have given him such
conspicuous position before the people
The speakers included beside Mr.
Shaw. Gov. w. Murray Crane, Lieut.
Gov. John L. Bates, the Republican
candidate for Governor. and Senator
H. &. Lodge
When Mr.. Shaw was introduced a:
the man vino had met problems il
such a way as TO receive the praise
of the people, he was given a magnifi-
cent reception. Mr.. Shaw's remarks
were as follows:
The Sherman act had not been or
tine statute books very long when some
one conceived the idea that a great
corpora ton could be organized which
should own more than one concern, OF
plant, or factory. Under this method
competitors sell to large corporations
created for the purpose, usually taking
stock in the new organization sufti-
cient TO cover the price agreed upon
for the plant sold. This method con-
tinues at the present time.
1t will be readily seen, think. that
the eoresent method is more difficult
TO reach than the former. Men are
permitted to own two farms-to oper-
ate one, and to keep the other idle.
They are permitted to own two coal
mines ia, 49, sHar
please. Shall they not be permitted to
own two grist mills, or two foundries,
or a dozen brick yards or wooden mills.
and operate one or all, as they please;
and if not where shall the limit be
placed? / say this simply to suggest
that the way is difficult, not to suggest
that it is impossible.
This Sherman act was passed July g
1890. On March 4, 1898. the hitherto
minority party came into control. Their
platform declared specifically against
trusts, and promised additional laws
for their remedy. But as l have sug-
gested, 1t is easier to draft resolutions
for political conventions than it IS
to draft laws for statute books. That
Democratic Congress convened in spec
iai session Immediately after the in
auguratlon of Mr.. Cleveland remained
In session all summer, reconvened, and
went out of existence by lapse of time:
ana II any gentleman present can point
out a single provision or law, enacted
by that Congress. for the protection of
the people against trusts, combines and
monopolies not already contained in
the Sherman antitrust act. l will
thank him to name the provision. That
congress simply re-enacted in alb
breviated form most of the important
provisions of the Sherman law. and in
very nearly the identical language. I
am glad to give them credit for that.
But the fact remains that the ablest.
the broadest-minded, the most con-
sclentlous men in the Democratic par
~ burned midnight oil before that
Iohn sherman act and arose as from
their knees with the ejaculation: "It
cannot be improved" l am not ex-
pressing the opinion that it cannot
be improved 1 only state that that
was the conclusion reached by the
Democratic party.
Since the passage of that act twelve
years ago. more than 1.200 men. about
equally divided between the two great
parties, have been elected to Congress-
and to the United States Senate. And
more than twice that number have
oeen defeated, either in convention or
az the polls, and every one of them
has been ambitious and every one has
known that if he could add paragraph.
line, sentence, phrase or word to the
sherman act to make it more drastic
or to render it more easy of enforceS
ment, his political fortunes were as
sured- And it is also safe to say that
no one has failed to give the question
most careful consideration. Many of
them made their pre-convention can
VdGE n that -
very general terms, be it remarked) to
promptly solve the trouble. But not
one of them, of either party. has been
able TO define the thing more specifi-
cally than John Sherman defined it
ana no one of all that number has been
aole thus lar 10 propose a remedy
more effective than the remedy con-
famed in the act as 1t left the pen of
that old statesman. A few bills have
been formulated. but they have proven
impractical, or already covered by the
sherman act itself
Even that great orator, who has
twice led the opposition forces in a nat
lonal campaign, was himself four years
IN Congress; but what he has said on
the trust issue since his retirement far
all he did on the trust subject
while in Congress. l do not saw this
un KINDLY. l have no doubt that in sin
cerlty and with the very best ability
he could muster he tried to find a way
10 improve it. But he found none and
proposes none now. 1t may be inter-
esung to note some things he said on
the subject. On the 18th day of Au-
gust. 1899, the evening before the Dem
ocratic convention in Iowa he made a
speech in the opera house in Des
Nd ONES from which I quote as follows:
say that the state cannot deal
with the trust, because it cannot fight
beyond its own borders. The national
government is the only force that can
reach into all the states and pluck the
evil wherever it may be found and an
nlhiliate it," / am not quarreling with
the proposition, though do say that if
each state would annihilate the evil
within its borders there would be moth
Ing left for the federal government to
do in the premises.
Then after advocating the enforce
ment of the law as it exists, Mr.. Bryan
added:
but, you say, suppose the attorney
general does enforce the law Let him
recommend law that is sufficient. 1t
nay be the Supreme Court will hold
1t unconstitutional; then let him rec
ommend law to Congress that will
empower that body to adequately deal
with trusts
Let no man misunderstood me. There
may be, | believe there is, statesman
ship now in Congress that can i'm
prove that law. / am not here to saw
1t cannot be done but am here to
declare to you, gentlemen, that if it
can be done it will be done, and that
right early. 1 only insist that the
time has arrived to relax a little on
resolutions and partisan denunciation.
a nd haRin lnnlrinor q Tho thine. ..-...-tl