The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-10

imagine that all the forces of nature
and of society which have decreed that
consolidation and cooperation shall
supersede painless competition, will
cease their operation at the beck OF
a presidential proclamation or the orac-
| ular decision of a few gowned and
law-learned judges. But enough of
| century before the birth of our civiliza-
ton. We might as well search the
records of the Aztecs for information
concerning telephones as to study the
writings of Thomas jefferson for light
on this trust problem. The question Is
now before our highest court. 1 un-
derstood you to say that you hope they
will decide that two competing cor
porations cannot consolidate. Am I
| right"
That is my wish" said Judge Saw
yer, "and it would be my decision If l
had the chance to render a verdict.
Any other decision means the death of
competition"
I'm other words, you hope and expect
that the Supreme Court will render a
decision that will compel the dissolution
of all the so-called trusts in the coun-
try?" continued Col. Monroe. IT am
curious to know how such decision
! will be enforced. For instance: Five
years ago l sold my box factory to
man who it seems was the representa-
tive of the Packing Box Trust. l was
tired of the business and glad to get
out of 1t. l gave a part of the money
to my son when he went into business.
l spent several thousands of it in trav-
el and in the purchase of paintings.
put the remainder of it in land and
wish l could get it out again. I did
all of this innocently, having no idea
that ] was violating any written or
unwritten law. Now you demand that
the Supreme Court rule that I had no
right to sell my box factory and that
the other man had no right to buy 1t.
You are going to restore competition
by judicial decree. l suppose that 1
shall have to hustle around and bor-
row enough money to buy back that
old box factory of mine. l shall have
to quit my quiet country life and go
back to the dusty old office and start
in competing with old Bill Springer
who used TO run a factory in Lakevine.
Pill VIII hate dreadfully to go back TO
work and competition. but 1 suppose
there is no help for either of us. That's
your idea as / understand it?"
you know very we'll that l entertain
no such foolish notion" asserted Judge
Sawyer You have genius for ex-
aggeration and in this case 1 am the
victim of it."
II am not exaggerating in the least"
returned Col. Monroe. MY case is
simple compared with the Northern Sc
curities which the courts are consid-
ering. Let us take another and more
conspicuous instance. THE United
States Steel Corporation as il is Of
fcially known? In this instance. hun
dreds of factories and mills have been
sold and consolidated. The former own
ers parted with their property in con-
sideration of money and stock in the
new company. In scores of instances
they have spent the money and sold the
stock. 1t is an absolute impossibility TO
reinstate these men in their former
positions. Then, again, hundreds OF
millions of dollars worth Of the new
stock is scattered all over the country
in the hands of innocent investors. The
genius of a score of Morgans ia not
equal to the task which you would
have the courts impose. You eonserva-
tive people look with suspicion on us
radicals. but | have noticed that when
man Who imagines himself to be