New-York tribune., 1903-04-04

growers buyers and shippers made complaint
that they suffering great injury in their
business from the methods OF the Southern raj
roads in the handling and transportation of cot
ton. They alleged that these railroads, by com
bned action under a pooling arrangement 70
support their rate schedules, had denied 10 the
shippers the right to elect over what roads
their commodities should be shipped, ana that
by dividing upon fixed basis the cotton crop
OF the South all inducement to compete in rates
for the transportation thereof was eliminated
Proceedings were instituted by the Attorney
General under the antitrust law which re
, suited in the destruction of the pool and in re-
storing to the growers and shippers of the South
the right TO ship their products over any road
they elected thus removing the restraint upon
the freedom of commerce.
SALT MONOPOLY BROKEN UP.
In November 1902 the Attorney General di-
rected that bill for an injunction be filed in
the United States Circuit Court at San Francisco
against the Federal Salt Company-a corpora
Tion which had been orga nized under the laws
of an Eastern State, but had its main office and
principal place Of business in California-and
( against number of other companies and per
sons constituting what known the Salt
Trust These injunctions were to restrain the
execution of certain contracts between the Fed
eral Salt Company and the other defendants,
by which the latter agreed neither TO import,
buy nor sell salt, except from and to the Fed
! the production of salt west of the Mississippi
River during the continuance of such contracts
As the result of these agreements the price of
salt had been advanced about 400 per cent
temporary injunction order was obtained, which
the ground that the antitrust law had appli-
cation to contracts for purchases and sales
within State. The circuit court overruled this
contention and sustained the governments posi-
ton This practically concluded the case, and
it is understood that in consequence the Federal
Salt Company is about to be dissolved and that
no Further contest will be made.
SUBSTANTIAL ACHIEVEMENTS
The above is brief outline of the most i'm
portant steps, legislative and administrative.
taken d7lring the last eighteen months in the d-
rection of solving, so far at present it seems
practicable by national legislation : admins
tratiOn 10 solve, what call the trust prob
lem They represent a of very substantial
achievement They represent successful ef-
fort TO devise and apply real remedies; effort
which so far succeeded because it made
not only with resolute purpose and determina-
tion, but also in a spirit IF common sense and
justice. far removed as possible from rancor,
hysteria and unworthy demagogIc appeal In
the same spirit the laws Will continue to be
enforced.
Not only is the legislation recently enacted
effective. but in my judgment 1t was impractical
bic to attempt more. Nothing of value is TO be
expected from ceaSeless agitation for radical and
and with confidence, await the results which
are reasonably to be expected from the Impair
tial enforcement Of the laws which have
Gently been placed upon the statute books.
Legislation Of general and indiscrinlinate char
acter would be TO fail, either because it
would involve all interests in a common ruin,
OF because II would not really reach any evil
We have endeavored 10 provide discriminat-
ing adaptation Of the remedy TO the real
mischief.
CANNOT REACH TRUSTS BY TARIFF.
Many Of the alleged remedies advocated are
Of the unpleassEntly drastic type which seeks to
destroy the disease by killing the patient. Others
are so obviously futile that IT is somewhat diff
cult re treat them seriously being ad-
vanced in good faith. High among the latter
place the effort to reach the trust question by
means Of the tariff You can, of course, put an
end 10 the prosperity of the trusts by putting
an end TO the prosperity of the nation but the
price for such action seems high. The alterna-
tive is TO do exactly what has been done dur
ing the life of the Congress which has lust
Closed-that is. tD endeavor, not TO destroy cor
porations but to regulate them. with view Of
doing away with whatever is of evil in them and
Of making them subserve the public use
LAW IN THE INTEREST OF ALL.
The law is not to he administered in the inter
est Of the poor SUCH nor yet in the in
terest of the rich man such, but in the inter-
est of the law-abiding man, rich or poor We
are no more against organiza tions of capital than
against organizations Of labor. We welcome
both, demanding only that each shall do right
and shall remember its duty TO the republic
Such q course We consider not merely benefit
TO the poor man, but benefit 20 the rich man.
We do no man injustice when we require
is a man whose safety and well being depend
in peculiar degree upon the existence of the
spirit Of law and order, we are rendering him
the greatest service when require him TO be
himself an exemplar of that spirit.