Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-01-06
THE REAL TRUSTS.

under The laws or new Jersey nave |
been thrown IN to the hands Of re-
ceivers. OF these defunct corporations,
the ''authOrlzed" crpital was $50 SAC, 600;
tie amount OF stock actually su bscrlb |
ed was ST.. 272 1851. and the ''estimat-
ed" assets 81 ,564 1854. %.
In the case of the salt trust, for
instance. the capital stock purported TO
be $l2, OOO. OOO, but receiver for that
concern reports its assets ut $37 500.
In this connection the Atlanta Con.
and one that deserves 70 be emphasized
by democratic newspapers. The Con
Stitution says:
I'm connection with the moribund
condition of these wildcat corporations
we observe a note OF exultation in
many republican papers over the sup
CRITICAL idea that. since the trusts are
going to pieces OF their own rOttenness.
the democratic occupation of trust
busting is gore. Our jubilant con.
temporaries seem to have wholly over.
looked the very patent fact that the
rsaI trusts-the really mOnOpOllstic
and, therefore, oppressive trusts-are
not touching the bottom Of this watery
sea, nor are they in the least danger of
touching it.
The public is not deceived by the
foolish cry that the trusts are
committing suicide. and it has not lost
q particle of it's motive for holding In
store day Of reckoning"
The trusts that Ego to pieces of their
own rottenness'' inflict the largest
damage upon innocent people who have
money to invest, and who are led to
invest til at money in the stocks Of the
-overcapitaliZed concern. 1t is entirely
proper. That these concerns be called to
account. The evil of overcapitalization
is, indeed, a great one; but not all Of
the people Of this country have money
60 invest. Indeed, comparatively
speaking, only small number of the
people have money to spare for invest
ment purposes; and the trusts that in'
flict the greatest amount Of damage are
the trusts that are not going to pieces.
The trusts manipulated by men who
conspire in restraint of trade and who
secure corner upon the necessities
OF life, impose npOn aud oppless
thousands and thousands of helpless
consumers Of the country where the
overcapltalized and "rotten" concerns
impose upon half dozen men and
women having money TO invest.
It. cannot too often be reiterated by
democratic newspapers that. in the
Language of the Constitution, 1.-THE real
Grusts-the really monopolistic and,
therefore, oppressive trusts-are not
touching the bottom of this watery sea,
nor are they IN the least danger OF
touching It,"
'"Publicity," the only remedy which
the Roosevelt ADM nistration seems
able to present, even III half hearted
fashion, will not touch the "really
monopolistic and therefore oppres'
Sive trusts"
Restraining orders and injunctions
will not seriously affect the wicked
schemes of the men in control of these
trusts.
There is.however, one potent weapon
upon the statute book and it remains
20 this day unused, in spite OF Mr.
Roosevelt's boasts that he is III earnest
IN his so called fight against the trust
system. No representative OF his ad
mlnistTatioD and no republican editor
has yet undertaken to explain why the
administration has not employed tina
pOwerful weapon. The weapon re
nerred to is the criminal clause of thu
Sherman antitrust law.
The managers Of the 'really monopo
listic and therefore oppressive trusts
are not seriously disturbed by thu
remedy called publicity" when it Il
unaccompanied by forceful proceedings
They do stand in awe, however. o
criminal proceedings; and the power o
these real trusts vii. never be broker
until we have an administration that i,
just as willing TO proceed against TIL
wealthy man who conspires against tn
life of the people as it is to proceet
against the humblest violator OF fedora
law.-Commoner.