The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1903-04-16
DEATH BLOW TO TRUSTS

thelaw may do to the trusts.
Ii the Northern Securities decision is sustained by the
supreme court goes effect there will be need OF
publicity" any of the other iancu proposed remedies.
The unanimous OF the four able judges gives
the decision momentous weight The law must be good and
the principle sound receive such Endorsement IL all
but Impossible that the opinion f four OF the abesi judges
the federal bench be far wrong to be reversed ~
the supreme court. =N
For the present the common mind tina, this
decision good law. As OF fact. the common nnd
has long assumed that good law needed only such nepeta
ton The law declared has long been accepted by the
puhle
The popular demand for enforcement of the law has been
indicated
The majesty of the law when asserted found equal to
the emergency.
What beer needed all along. aud what the public dc
manded talk threat less buster and buneoh
and MORE LAW.
The law sufficient Al that has been needed its
application
What the law does big railway is "a plen,y.
II annihlates 1t without ceremony.
And Il the law and the principle good in this paeu-
lar they just good and applicable in hundreds Of
other
The decision is no "stradde" II makeshi,
many decisions this question have been in the past IL
is ear-eut complete and decisive IL hits to hurt II
straight to the spot and the spot is vital
The importance Of the decision in its application this
particular But IL has immeasufaby
greater importance si tn its application in general
II is as ar-reaehing as IL is revolutionary.
The ground upon which the railway merger dissolved
by peculiar 10 that
The merger illegal the declares because its pur-
pose restrict competition. Parallel lines had been
soldated under ownership and management.
But apply this any and what be the
: :;isa -; s. - : ,'..-~ = - '- .@".' $1,000 $500
In the business fos instance there parallel
lines of railways but there PARALLEL lines OF trade
and the consolidation OF these much Of
petition is the other
The principle thar applies to the one trust applies just as
precisely the other-aud o al others
The methods of consolidation may differ any
particular method but the restrain, 81 competition itself which
10 declared TO be illegal and intolerable.
IL would be difficult. indeed point single trust
dog business which has It's prime pur
pose the restraint OF competition.
The degree which any particular succeeds in alb
sorbng sappressing its competition may be question but
these judges hold that the
mcre do unreasonable partial OF trade
commerce. but any direct restraint thereof"
What any line OF business. could successfully
pass this gdy applied II there be any they the
harmless" that through isnanagemen
favorable conditions. fail in their purposes.
The fact that and then burglar fails break into
house is proof that burglary honest business
This decision declares too that consultations for
fixing Of prices which members willingly or nnwill
ingy submit Is IN violation OF law Few trusts arc without
this feature.
Looked from any standpoint the principles declared IN
the decision deals desthbiow the idea
The decision is magnificent vindcation of the law II
has demonstrated the fact that the right settlement Of the
trust question lies not in vndtve assaults upon great
enterprises not in special legislation for against any class
but in simple ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW.