The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-13
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 1904.
A rnoBLEsrj THAT IS A PROBLEM

A PROBLEM THAT IS A PROBLEM.
 How win the issue be started by the two parties when they declare a policy with. respect to the trusts? There will Of esskfsA bd a..hat-footed declara tieia af var both at St. Louis and Chicago. What are the weapons to be used in this war? The rub will come here. The Re- pabiicans have in effect announced al- ready that they are friendly to good trusts and the sworn enemies of bad trusts. The State Democracy of New York have pronounced for State regula- tion of commerce where possible ana speh commefce has taken on the shape of being controlled and conducted by the trusts
 The National Democracy will have ore clear advantage over the Republican an taEonist in dealing with this question:, They will feel less and less difficulty in approaching it IS their minds clear and their wills become resolute to attack the tariff system.
 Trusts have taken on bad forms in scores of instances and the ordinary man need not be amazed or disturbed by his own inability to name the precise remedy for application to these monsters" The learned specialists are just as helpless and we can hardly expect our public men to know more than the college profess sors and particularly their own con stituents. >
 Recently one of the learned men who, wear gowns to make them look wise has sbeen telling a church congregation in New York City all about the industrial situation. The speaker was a professor. and is, as for that matter, in Columbia University. He occupies the chair of Economics and is famed here as well as abroad for his dispassionate studies in all labor and wage problems. Admitting the world Is blind as to remedies for the trusts he names his and apparently counts on finding the world no longer blind. He boldly announces that the right. type of legal action is reasonably clear. And what is this? Hear. ye gods and little fishes! We ought to have laws that would destroy monopoly yet keep the efilciency of organization intact. We should accept organizations and trusts, but make them efficient draught horses, a. it were. The golden rule would put an end to all contests"
 Here we have the last word of the col lsge world; the golden rule will settle the trusts question!
 Every one must confess the difficulty of the situation. Organization is at the bot tom of nearly all modern industrial pro- gresss We can never revert to unlimited individuaF control. certainly not through the enactment. of laws The Democrats have. as we said. one thing in their favor and we believe it will be palmer as the campaign progresses. The Republicans by shutting up the industries of the eoun- trv within the high walls of high tar iff have destroyed one great field of pos sfble competition and have made easier the task of the steel magnates, for ex- ample. in combining and putting up the price of American products. The tariff ls a shelter for trusts. Whatever the legislation necessary to ensure an effec- tual control the first and imperative step Is to abolish protective duties on trust made goods. The Republicans dare not do this The Democrats are compelled by every consideration of honor to go forward and free all foreign competition, the prevention of which comforts and aids the trusts.