Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-04-06


sage. he denounces combinations OF every
description in language as incorporate and
ihnammatory as was ever employed by his
party more recent candidate for the pres
ideney. He says:
Their tendency Is TO crush out individ-
uaI independence and 10 hinder and prevent
the free use OF human faculties and the fun
development OF human character
lie then discouraged federal legislation
by saying:
- The fact must be Recognized however.
That all federal legislation on this subject
iiay fau short OF its purpose because OF
me complex character of our governmental
system, which, while making the federal
authority supreme in its sphere. has care
tuIiy limited that sphere by metes and
bounds that cannot be transgressed. The
decision OF our highest court on this pre-
else question renders IL quite doubtful
whether the evils OF trusts and monopoiies
can be adequately treated through federal
action unless they seek directly and pur-
poseiy, 10 include in their objects trans
portation or intercourse between states or
between the United States and foreign
countries
Attacks Trusts Through Tariff.
This. so far "a the record shows is his
last utterance. official or othe rwise on the
SUBJECT OF trusts until he explains. in his
recent interview the reason WHY nothing
was done during either OF his administra-
tons. While the platform on which he was
elected the second time promised much in
the way OF antitrust legisla ton, nothing
was done except to include in the tariff
act OF 1884 provision rendering null and
void any combination. conspiracy trust
agree mentor contract between two or more
persons or corporations engaged in import
ing articles from any foreign country into
the United States intended 10 operate in
restraint OF trade or to Increase the mar
ket price OF any imported article or any
manufacture into which imported articles
have entered
Their sole legislation was against COM
oinatiohs OF importers. with intent 10 put
up the price Of imported goods In no
way, shape OF form did they seek TO pro-
! hibit a combination OF American manu-
iactufers producers or transportation
companies
1t is needless to say that no effort has
been or ever will b. made TO enforce this
act Tor II Is directed against an imaginary
eNlL importers may represent foreign
trusts. but they do not combine I'm this
country 10 increase the price OF their i'm
ported wares. Ii was Intended TO please
the people. and see no reason TO presume
mat any existing or contemplated trust
was scared thereby.
And now | want to refer TO the language
oil Mr.. Cleveland : explanation for the sad
neglect of his administration az set forth
IN his authorized Interview. lie SAYS:
me question OF the government taking
!eSaI action against the so-called trusts
was given much consideration during my
last administration from 1893 to 1897 | re-
can that l examined closely the law and
! received reports from MIR Olney who was
/ then attorney general. / was most anxious
/ 10 nave something done but we were
/ oSocked by decisions OF the supreme court
/ Mhlch AT mat time tied our hand - .
! The decisions OF the supreme court as
| pointed out in my message. restricted our
action against trusts unless they were en-
/ gagged In interstate transportation There
was distinct difference drawn between
! railroads and purely producing conbina-
! tons 1t could not be said that the sugar
! trust or the beef trust or the Standard OIL
| company Was directly engaged in Interstate
! trans OTtation.'
What Knox Has Done.
II think Mr.. Cleveland has overlooked
/ the fact that Attorney General Knox has
! at this time an injunction in full force
/ against seven corporations. one copart-
/ nership ana % individuals engaged i'm tho
production ana transportation OF meats
| ana meat products. restraining them "a
! the opinion shows, from recurring their
! purchasing agents TO refrain from bidding
! against each other when making pur-
| chGses. FROM bidding up the price OF live
stock Tor fe~ days TO induce large ship
4 ments and Then ceasing 10 bid so as 10
I obtain I'VE stock at prices less than il
/ would bring in the regular way from
| agreeing between Themselves upon prices
/ 10 be adopted by all. from restricting the
! quantities OF meat TO be shipped from re-
/ curing thelr agents TO impose uniform
] tLdIBtS lot 'dIldGt and from making
/ agreeme nts with transportation companies
! for rebates and other discrimination rates
| "Of course this action Is based upon the
! allegation admitted in the demurrer that
/ these packing concerns are engaged not
I only IL the production Of articles entering
/ into interstate commerce but mat the con-
| Germs are themselves engaged IN inter
state commerce
What Cleveland Called Impossible.
Admittedly the federal government has
no jurisdiction 10 restrain combinations
/ between individuals or corporations ex-
cept such as is derived under the provision
OF the con stitution. giving congress control
OF interstate and foreign commerce. Thus
| what Mr.. Cleveland just last week said
/ cannot De done is an accomplished fact,
and the action was brought under the Sber-
/ man act. a republican measure promised
/ in republican platform pasfed by a re-
/ publican congress. signed by q republ icap
/ president and enforced ~ a little giant
Ghutr me direction OF the present repub-
lean president. And while The case has
/ been appsa! II stsnds and Lo.Gs ana will
/ remain effective until reversed
Nor j. this all nor the most as ,ouishing
| feature OF Mr. Cleveland Interview. In
I the C.Osing paragraph h. takes no small
7 pains TO explain why nothing was done
. curing his administration. and bV 20 doing
I indcrses in the most emphatic language
. what has been done 10y tts .uccessors
/ Without admitting the sun!litrcy Of hi.
explanation. il is quite gratifying 10 have
so distinguished q person noua.ifsdfv an
prove the institution. the prosecution ana
/ the result II the merger case Listen to
the explanation he gives for his own in
/ activity:
There was then 10 opportunity 10 take
. any such action as this merger .u.t. The
/ case Gid not present itself If contracts
. existed among these busiussIcCmb.nations
for the restraint OF trade hey Ware kept
secret and no evidence offereI Itself on
which TO act. st that time tft5 merger
Of railroads had not been formed. so that
there was no action Of this sort 10 take"
How unfortunate 10 - foi so many Of
rs that opportunities never present them.
/ selves in our times Those who lived be-
fore US and those who come after us have
great opportunities
ryMr. Bryan in hosting the black