Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-27

cluse and retaining his popularity.
During the years spent in college
he was an intellectual and physical
machine, seemingly incapable OF men
tai or bodily fatigue. The few
friends who enjoyed the privilege of
his apartments found him the best
of hosts, with a well,appointed side
board and the choicest Of cigars. EX-
cept on rare occasions Hammond did
not permit these social relaNatons to
intrude on his time, and his friends
grew to know just how long Sidney
would tolerate their company in
preference to his books.
Hestor slipped glass of wine;
knocked the ashes from his cigar,
and extended an enameled cigar case
to Hammond.
SLOW long does our famous cor
respondent intend to remain in New
York;" asked Sidney Hammond. 1T
must seem duh here after what you
have been through"
at seems good to be here" replied
Hestor. 81 am going to quit roaming
around and stay ia this country for
awhile. ! believe there is more big
news on the tapis here than anywhere
in the world. / believe there is some
sensational news about the trusts if
it could be obtained and properly
handled.''
''They are getting big enough and
bold enough to attract attention."
said Hammond. "rhere will be plen-
ty of news about them some day"
"How do you like the Records
leading editorial to-day?" he asked.
"The one about the big steel COM
bine, do you mean?"
eyes"
"Candidly, I cannot say l liked it,"
said Hammond, after a moments
pause, 81 suppose Williams wrote it.
1t sounded like his stuff. Williams is
good writer, and there is no better
man on local issues, but 1 am afraid
the trust problem is beyond his
depth. He denounces trusts. He
might as well denounce the Galveston
disaster. He has treated The Record
readers to an entertaining but not
novel bit of trust invective. l pre-
sumo it is what they want, but what
good does it do? He proposes no
remedy"
Certainly he proposed remedy"
said Hestor, rallyine to the support
of the editorial staff. she demands
| the enforcement of the antitrust law
which, if put into operation, will re-
suit in the disintegration of criminal
trusts" r.
you talk like political platform,
Walter" replied Hammond. you be-
| lieve nothing of the kind. You are
| perfectly well aware that no effective
antitrust law will be affirmed by the
courts. Every time test is made,
the various courts pronounce such
laws unconstitutional. Twenty states
have passed antitrust enactments
and all have met the same fate. dc
not believe it is possible by law to
| prevent any twofmen, 20 men or 100
men from consolidating their inter.
ests and thereby saving and increas.
ing their profits. The trust is the
inevitable result of revolutionary
forces. 1t possesses certain advan
| tages. These must be conserved. Or
the other hand. the trust of to-day
possesses certain features which
menace our very existence as peo
pie. A remedy must be found; but
it must be natural remedy. YOU
know my views on this subject, and
do not propose to abuse your hospi
tally by inhicting anew on you the
details of my pet theory, which ma.
or may not be worthy of considera
| ton"
eff we could but devise some plan
to bring about national or interna
tional congress Of such men, SAT-
/ Hestor, taking out his pencil and jot
ting down list he had in mind. 6
can imagine the headlines, College o
Financial Giants,' 'Millionaires as Re
formers 'Syndicates to the Rescue
Trusts Tremble,' Wealth Willing t,
Compromise 1t would be great! 1
we could get some foreign financier
with titles to stand sponsor for tn
idCd, oul houlC ploiuSo Wouiu "
more likely to follow their lead 1t I
worth thinking about. ] am going t
cable Van Horne and suggest it t
him."
"No, I do not think it possible t
bring such body of men into a cor
ference" continued Hammond, a
Hestor remained silent, with fa1
away expression in his eyes. SIN tn
first place they would not meet; i
the second place, they would not tall
They are not willing even to defen
their methods, to say nothing of tai
ing the initiative towards reformin
them. We must possess our souls j
patience; do the best we can, and lie
the sequence of events work out it
destiny. 1t is our good fortune tina
we can better afford to wait tina
most of those who think they hav
reason to complain. A millionair
) lawyer with good practice, and tn
: millionaire correspondent and speci;
| envoy of newspaper, should be abb
to withstand the onslaughts of trus
, magnates for considerable period
, II am going to form trust" sal
4 1I1t4