Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-04-07

ground that the antitrust law had no
application to contracts for purchases
and sales within a state. The circuit
court overrued this contention and
sustained the governments position.
This practically concluded the case,
and it is understood that in conse-
quence the Federal Salt Co. is about
Ito be dissolved and that no further con-
test will be made.
Important Steps Taken.
The above is brief outline of the
most important steps, legislative ana
administrative, taken during the past
eighteen months in the direction of
solving, so far as at present 1T seems
practicable by national legislation or
administration to solve, what we call
| the trust problem. They represent a
sum of a very substantial achievement.
! They represent a successful effort to
devise and apply real remedies; an
effort which so far succeeded because
lit was made not only with resolute
| purpose and determination, but also
lin spirit of common sense and JUS
ltice, as far removed as possible from
rancor, hysteria. and unworthy dema-
gogic appeal. In the same spirit the
! laws will continue to be enforced. Not
only is the legislation recently enacted
/ effective but in my judgment it was
impracticable to attempt more. Nothing
of value is to be expected from cease
less agitation for a radical and extreme
Legislation. The people may wisely,
and with confidence, await the results
which are reasonably to be expected
from the impartial enforcement of the
laws which have recently been placed
upon the statute books. Legislation of
a general and indiscriminate character
would be sure to fail, either because it
would involve all interests in common
ruin or because it would not really
reach any evil. We have endeayored
ito provide discriminating adaptation
of the remedy to the real mischief.
The Tariff Not Proper Remedy.
Many OF the alleged remedies advo-
Gated are of the unpleasantly drastic
type which seeks to destroy the dis
ease by killing the patient. Others are
Il SO obviously futile that it is somewhat
difficult to treat them seriously or as
being adyarr in good faith. High
among the K , place the effort to
reach the trust question by means of
the traiff You can. of course, put an
, end to the prosperity of the trusts by
: putting an end to the prosperity of the
t nation: but the price for such action
seems high. The alternative ID to do
exactly what has been done during the
life of the congress which has just
closed-that is. to endeavor, not to de
i stroy corporations, but to regulate
; them with view of doing away with
: whatever is evil in them and of max
, ing them subserye the public use. The
/ law is not to be administered in the in
terest of the poor man as such, nor
1 vet in the interest of the rich man as
SUCH but in the interest of the law
f abiding man, rich or poor. We are nc
: more against organizations OF capital
t than against organizations of labor
: We welcome both demanding only that
both shall Go right and shall remember
:; its duty to the republic. Such a course
; we consider not merely benefit to the
+ poor man. but benefit to the ricl
l. man.
. We do no man an injustice wher
f we require him to obey the law. Or
: the contrary. if he is man whose safe
: ty and well-being depend in a pecu
If liar degree upon the existence of the
d spirit OF law and order, we are render
: ing him the greatest service when W.
S require him to be himself an exempla
Q of that spirit.