The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1903-04-06

enjoyed by the great packing house
concerns, coupled with the very high
price of meats, led the Attorney Cen
eral t o direct an investigation into
the methods of the so-called beef
trust. The result was that he filed
bills for injunction against six of the
principal packing house companies,
and restrained them from combining
and agreeing upon prices at which
they would sell their products in the
states other than those in which their
meats were prepared for market.
Writs of injunction were issued ac-
ccrdingly, and since then, after full
argument, the United States Court
has made his injunction perpetual.
The above is a brief outline of the
most important steps, legislative and
administrative, taken during the past
eighteen months in direction of solv-
ing, so far as at present it seems prac-
ticable by national legislation or ad-
ministration to solve, what we call the
trust problem. They represent a sum
of very substantial achievement. They
represent a successful effort to devise
and apply real remedies; an effort
which so far succeeded because it was
made not only with resolute purpose
and determination, but also in a spirit
of common sense and justice. as far
removed as possible from rancor, hys-
terra, and unworthy demagogic appeal.
In the same spirit the laws will con-
tinue to be enforced. Not only is the
legislation recently enacted effective,
but in my judgment it was impractic-
able to attempt more. Nothing Of
value is to be expected from ceaseless
agitation for radical and extreme leg
islation. 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 Jul to fail, either because it
would involve all interests in a COM
mon ruin. or because it would not
really reach any evil. We have en-
deavored to provide a discriminating
adoption of the remedy to the real
mischief.
Many of the alleged remedies advo-
Gated are of the unpleasantly drastic
type which seeks to destroy the di-
a by killing the patient. Others
are so obviously futile that it is some
what difficult to treat them seriously
or a S being advanced in good faith.
High among the latter l place the
effort to reach the trust question by
means of the tariff. You can, of
course. put an end to the prosperity
of the trusts by putting an end to the
prosperity of the nation; but the price
for such action seems high. The alter
native is to do exactly what has been
done during the life of the Congress
which has just closed-that is, tt en-
deavor, not to destroy corporations,
but to regulate them with a view of
doing away with whatever is of evil
in them and of making them subserve
the public use. The law is not to be
administered in the interest of the
poor man as such, nor yet in the in
terest of the rich man as such, but in
the interest of the law-abiding man.
rich or poor. We are no more against
organizations of capital than against
organizations of labor. We welcome
both, demanding only that each shall
do right and shall remember its duty
To the RannhIin Cnnh o. -