Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1904-08-18
LOOK AFTER TRUSTS
THEIR INTERESTS PROTECTED
BY REPUBLICANS.
No Relief for the People Need BE
Looked For-Enforeement Of Ant.
Trust Laws Would Brlna the Mag
mates to Time.


ministration to some semblance OF
activity against the trusts. For months
the Department Of Commerce and La
Dor has had large force Of inspec-
tors investigating the beef trust which
the Department of Justice about two
years ago discovered was a bad trust,
In fact the only bad Industrial trust
II could discover. There Is no lack
OF men or money to fight the trusts
for the large army Of employees of the
Department of Commerce and Labor,
not counting the numerous special at.
torneys OF the Department of Justice
with its appropriation of $4,000 Is
available and has been for more than
two years. The lack OF results. Is
evidence that President Roosevelt is
not honestly trying to stop the depre-
dating OF even the one bad trust that
he and Knox selected to try their hand
on. The injunction obtained against
the beef trust IL evidently worthless,
as far as protecting the people from
its exactions is concerned. Since the
Injunction was obtained meat has been
higher than before the legal proceed.
ings were commenced.
The trouble with President Roose-
welt is that he is trying to run with
the hare-the people-and with the
hounds-the trusts.
Does anyone believe that IL the
president was really intent on stop.
ping the plundering of the people by
any Of the great predatory trusts,
that under his orders the attorney
general could not find a way to do
1t and do 1t quickly? Only two efforts
have been made to protect the people
and those in only a half hearted way.
AS long as Knox was attorney gen
eral, nothing else could have been ex-
pected. for his selection by the great
trust magnates of Pennsylvania to
succeed Quay in the United States
Senate, is positive evidence that the
trusts feel very kindly to him for his
forbearsnce and rewarded him &C.
cordingly.
II President Roosevelt was really
intent on bringing a few sample big
trusts to book, how easy and quickly
It could be done. Not only the beef
trust, but the coal trust, the Standard
oil trust, the steel trust, the sugar
trust, in fact any of the big bad trusts
would soon cease their plundering as
far as combining and restraining trade
is concerned If the following section
OF the antitrust law was enforced:
Section 2. Every one who shall
monopolize, or attempt to monopolize
or combine with any other person or
persons, to monopolize any part of the
trade or commerce among the several
states, or with foreign nations, shall
be deemed guilty Of a misdemeanor
and on conviction thereof shall be pun.
lshed by fine not exceeding five thou
sand dollars, or by imprisonment not
exceeding one year, or by both said
punishments, In the discretion Of the
court"
The whole law will be found in the
twenty-sixth volume of the United
States statutes at large page 2O9 and
can be examined at any law library.
1t created seven different crimes re-
lating to interstate, foreign, or ter
ritorial trade or commerce, punishable
by a penalty not exceeding 5000, or
one years Imprisonment, or both, by
providing that every person who shall
make, ~ a contract in restraint of
such trade, or (2) engage in a COM
bination in form Of a trust or other
wise, or (3) in a conspiracy in re-
straint Of such trade, or az monopo-
lie, or (5) attempt to monopolize, or
(6) combine, or ~ conspire to
monopolize, such trade shall be guilty
OF a misdemeanor, to be punished as
stated.
There would be no delay in gath
ering evidence against at least two
trusts. The evidence against the beef
trust and the coal trust is in the
archives of the Department Of Justice
and the names Of those who could be
summoned as witnesses are also
known.
The advantage OF proceeding under
section two Of the antitrust law, is
that the United States courts are al
ways open to criminal prosecution and
the trust magnates could be indicted
and tried without delay.
Trust magnates in Jail, with the fear
Of further prosecution, would at once
break up their unlawful combinations.
There would still remain the protec.
ton they receive under the Dingley
tariff law, which prevents competi-
ton from outside and allows them to
plumber the consumers through high
prices. OF course no relief can be ex-
pected from Roosevelt from that
source. He believes with the Repub-
lican majority in congress and as the
Republican national platform de-
clares: I'VE insist upon the mainten-
ance Of the principles Of protection"
There you have 1t. Protect the
trust magnates from the law espec-