The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-04

They alleged that these railroads, by combined action under a pooling arrange ment to support their rate schedules, had denied the shippers the right to elect over what roads their commodities should be shipped, and that by dividing upon fix ed basis the cotton crop of the south all inducements to compete in rates for the transportation thereof was eliminated. Proceedings were instituted by the attor- ney-genera1 under the antitrust law, which resulted in the destruction of the pool and in restoring to the growers and shippers of the south the right to ship their products over any road they elect ed, thus removing the restraint upon the freedom of commerce.
 Injunction Filed.
 In November, 1902, the attorney-general directed that bin for an injunction be filed in the United States circuit court at San Francisco against the Federal Salt company-a corporation which had been organized under the laws of an east ern state, but had it's main office and principal place of business in California and against a number of other compa- nies and persons constituting what is known as the salt trust. These injunc- tions were to restrain the execution of certain contracts between the Federal Salt company and the other defendants, by which the latter agreed neither to import, buy, or sell salt, except from and to the Federal Salt company, and not to engage or assist in the production of salt west of the Mississippi river during the continuance of such contracts. As the re- suit of these agreements the price of salt had been advanced about four hundred per cent A temporary injunction order was obtained which the defendants asked the court to modify on the ground hat fla -t,~t,r I,x. bod tion to contracts for purchases and sales within a state. The Circuit court over ruled this contention and sustained the governments position. This practically concluded the case, and 1t Is understood that in consequence the Federal Salt company is about to be dissolved and that no further contest will be made.
 Above a Brief Outline.
 The above Is a brief outline of the most important steps, legislative and adminis- trative, taken during the past eighteen months in the direction of solving, so far as at present 1t seems practicable by na- tional legislation or administration to solve, what we call the trust problem. They represent a sum of very substantial achievements. They represent a success full effort to devise and apply real reme- dies, an effort which so far succeeded be- cause 1t was made not only with resolute purpose and determination, but also in spirit of common sense and justice, as far removed as possible from rancor, hys- teria, and unworthy demagogic appeal In the same spirit the laws will continue to be enforced. Not only is the legisla- tion recently enacted effective, but in my judgment it was impracticable to attempt more. Nothing of value is to be expected from ceaseless agitation for radical and extreme legislation. The people may wisely, and with confidence, await the results which are reasonably to be ex- pected 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. We have endeavored to provide a discriminating adaptation of the remedy to the real mischief.
 Unpieasantly Drastic.
 Many of the alleged remedies advo- cated are of the unpleasantly drastic type which seeks to destroy the disease by killing the patient. Others are so ob- viously futile that 1t Is somewhat diff cult to treat them seriously or as being advanced in good faith. High among the latter l place the efforts 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 alternative is to do exactly what has been done during the life of the congress which has just closed-that is, to endeav- or, not to destroy corporations, but to regulate them with a view of doing away with whatever Is evil in them and of making them subserye the public use The law Is not to be administered in the interest of the poor man as such, nor yet in the interest of the rich as such, but in the interest of the law-abiding man, rich or poor. We are no more against organizations of capital than