Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-09-16

magnate or this day and age desires
combination for the purpose, first, Of
economy, and secondly, to control the
output. No serious objection is had
to the combination that exists for
economy. In this day and age It is
one OF the necessary adjuncts of all
well governed institutions. The Dem.
ocratic party does not stand In the
attitude of condemning absolutely all
combinations. Combinations, formc,
for the purpose of economizing results,
for economizing in labor and material.
and at the same time, tending to les.
sen prices, meet the appreciation of the
people.
Such combinations are not in the
mind Of the trust magnate. His
economy is used to bring in greater
profits. His economy means the dis
charge of laboring men; it means the
closing of mills. If necessary to main
tain the price; it means the control of
the source of supply. 1t means the
control of transportation facilities. It
means the elimination of vast army
Of travelling men, the most faithful
barometer Of the conditions of the
country and trade known to our land.
The Sherman Law and Combines.
So powerful had these combina-
tons become that in 1890 was passed
the Sherman antitrust act For a
period of ten years, this law remained
silent upon the statute books of the
United States without an attempt at
enforcement; merely as a thing OF
beauty, to be pointed at when occasion
demanded, but not disturbed. This
law has been derided, said to be I'M
constitutional, and every effort made
to bring 1t into disrepute. 1t was
stated that a constitutional amend
ment was necessary before combina-
tons and monopolies could be dis
banded. It was not until the Supreme
Court of the United States had held
in the trans-Missouri freight case that
the Sherman law was constitutional,
that any effort was made to arouse the
beast.
Today, by reason Of little falling
out between the trust magnates them
selves, we have the court of appeals
Of the Eighth Circuit declaring the
law to be constitutional and valid. It
was invoked by the government of the
United States to dissolve the Northern
Securities company. 1t was amply sus-
tanned by the decision of that court.
1t is not more law that is needed to-
day, but men with capacity and will
to enforce the law we now have. Men
with the love Of country in their
hearts, with patriotism as their guide,
and integrity of purpose as their chief
characteristic. No more strenuous
law could be placed upon the statute
books of our country than the Sher-
man antitrust act. Why is it not en-
forced? It is claimed the strenuous
one now at the head Of affairs will
see that this law is enforced. What
has he done outside the Securities
case? The beef combine still lives
and the price to the consumer is
among the stars, and the little witch
ing Of a few months ago has disturbed
the peace Of no one.
1t took the protection party over a
decade to realize that there was such
law in existence. It has dissolved
the Northern Securities company but
is it to rest there? Do you not witness
other great combinations, of more vita,
interest to the common people, than
a few railroad magnates combining
hjgh-priced bonds and watered stock
and then falling out as to the distri-
button.
Harvesters in Combination.
We behold the international Har-
vester company controlling every har-
vesting machine sold to the western
farmer. Not an effort has been made
to dissolve this combination. No
effort made to dissolve the coal COM
bination. Baer's alliance with the
Deity still unaffected, and the price of
hard coal still manipulated and con-
trolled by a few men and railroads,
This trust is nearer the producing
masses Of the state of Iowa than the
Northern Securities company. True.
its original source Of supply as to
material is controlled by the iron
trust, but the combination known as
the International Harvester company
comes directly home. Competition is
&C an end If this institution continues.
A few years ago agents of different
machine companies would go to the
Iowa farmer, and not only compete as
to the durability of their machines but
as to price. but today, one price. one
institution, and if you do not like the
price or machine, you have the pleas
ure of doing without.
This trust can be dissolved by law.
but not one effort made SO to do. 1t
eliminates competition and again use
the phrase of Iowa's governor, SO true
and SO democratic, "the people are
more in need of competition than the
manufacturer is Of protection" 1t is
insisted at all times that the protec-
tive duties are levied not alone to
benefit the manufacturer, but the
laboring element of our country. !
question here and now. the sincerity
of that proposition. If it were true
that the prime object of protection