Mexico weekly ledger., 1905-10-12

~hSeo SoApiudtiuilS UT agreements
have always been unlawful. These
things are attempted by many and
different means, and many and differ
ent devices, such as limiting the sup.
ply, and increasing the cost OF trans
portatlon-exeept to the favored few
land refusing to buy from or sell to
those persons who have the courage to
assert their right to buy in the cheap
est and sell In the highest market, and
who have expressed an unwillingness
40 submit to the terms fixed by the
conspirators. or course, the impor-
tant thing to be done in order to con-
troll the markets is to kill competition
and keep 1t killed; so that the monop-
oily may safely say to the producer Of
the field or Of the mine, "You must
sell to me at my price, or let your
product rot.n So that he can safely
say to the consumer, "You must buy
Of me at my price, or go hungry and
naked, because there is none other
from whom you can purchase"
Forestalling the market was crime
at common law, and all agreements or
devices made or adopted by Two or
more persons to increase the price OF
yictuals, and other necessarles Of life,
have always been held to be unlawful
conspiracies, unenforceable, epjoin-
able and indictable. 'Competitlon is
the life Of trade" Is an old maxim Of
political economy:and the courts have
uniformly adopted the maxim as sound
law, and have treated all agreements
to prevent competition In trade as in
valid and unlawful Such agreements
are against public policy and void, as a
matter Of American common law, IT.
respective OF the question as to wheth
er there are any statutes upon the sub
| jcct or not. In the language Of Judge
Marshall Of our Supreme Court, "The
wisdom and experience Of all ages and
all peoples have demonstrated thu
necessity for such laws, and for theil
enforcement. Competition Is the life
Of trade Pools, trusts and conspira
cies to fix or maintain the prices OF tht
necessaries of life strike at the foun'
ldation Of government; instill des'
tructive poison into the life OF the
Ebody polite; whether the energies OF
competitors, blight individual invest
ments in legitimate business, drive
lsmall and honest dealers out Of ousi-
ness for themselves, and make them
mere ihewers OF wood and drawers oil
water for the trust; raise the cost Of
living and lower the price of wages
take from the average American free
man the ability to supply bis family
with necessary, adequate and whole
some food; force the boys away from
school. and into the various branche
Of trade and labor, and the girls into
workshops and other avenues OF busl
lness and make them breadwinner'
while they are yet almost infants, be
cause the head Of the house canno
earn enough to feed and clothe hl'
family. The people are helpless N
prothet themselves. The powers tina
be must protect them, or as sure a
history records the story Of republican
government in Rome, SO surely WI
the foundations Of our government
be shaken and Its perpetuity threaten
ed.n
This is the language OF the Suprem
ICnurt OF Missouri upon the question
we are now discussing. Notwith
standing the fact that the laws hav
always condemned and forbade sucI
; combinations, yet, in this new countr
of ours. where our first object has bee
, 10 encourage the development OF ou
natural resources, we have permitte'
publlc service corporations, and otne
aggregations Of capital, to violate tn
I law with impunitH on the groun'
: that, although they were mlsuSln
J. their franchises to crafty their aVai
ice at the expense OF the people, ye'
thew were building up the country
Q and on the whole doing more goo
r than harm. Cnder this permlsslS
; license they have grown rich an
n powerful. They are able nov. to SEN
their agents to the legislative aSSen
bly to represent their especial lnte.
ests.p y They control the markets am