The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1906-09-08

fusing to receive campaign contributions
from corporations. and is opening the
books SO that every contributor of any
considerable sum may be known to the
public before the election. The great
majority Of corporations are engaged in
legitimate business, and have nothing
to fear from hostile legislation, and the
officers should not be permitted to use
the money of the stockholders to advance
their own political opinion. Contributions
should be individual. not corporate, and
no party can afford to receive cOntribu-
tons, even from individuals, when the
acceptance Of these contributions Sc
cretly pledge the party to a course which
it can not, openly avOw. In other words,
politics should be honest, and l mistake
present conditions in America if they do
not receive Improvement in the conduct
of campaigns.
The Paramount ~Issue-Trusts.
While men may differ as to the relative
Importance of issues, and while the next
congress will largely shape the lines upon
which the coming presidential campaign
will be fought. l think it is safe to say
that the paramount issue in the minds of
trust issue. l congratulate President
Roosevelt upon the steps which he has
taken to enforce the antitrust laws, and
my qualification is not lesSened by the
fact that he has followed the democratic
rather han the republican platform in
every advance he has made. 1t has been
a great embarrassment. to him that the
platform upon which he was elected was
filled with praise of the republican par
tvs record rather than with promises of
reform. Even the enthusiastic support
given him by the democrats has enable
the champions of the trusts to taunt hi
with following democratic leadership. He
has probably gone as far as he coul
leaders of his own party. The thouble is
that the republican party Is not in a posi-
ton to apply effective and demonstrating
reforms. because it has built up through
special legislation the very abuses which
need to be eradicated.
Definition Of a Trust.
Before any intelligent action can be
taken against the trusts we must have
a definition of a trust. Because no cor
poration has an absolute and complete
monopoly of n important product, the
apologists for the trusts sometimes insist
there are really no trusts. Others
insists that it is impossible to legislate
doing injury to legitimate business.
the purpose of this delusion it is
to draw the line at the point
competition ceases to be effective,
ton which controls so much of the prod
uct of any article that it can fix the
terms and conditions of sale.
Young Rockefeller Quoted.
Legislation which prevents monopoly,
lot only does not injure legitimate bust
ness. but actually protects legitimate bus
ness from injury. We are indebted to the
Rockefeller for an illustration
makes this distinction clear. In
defending the trust system he is quoted
Is saying that. as the American beauty
,annot be brought to perfection without
,inching off ni~nety-nine buds, so that the
me hundredth bud can receive the full
strength of the bush, so great Industrial |
organizations are impossible without the
elimination Of the smaller ones. 1t is a
.ruel illustration. but it puts a perfectly |
picture Of trust methods.
The Cause Of the Ninety Nine.
The democratic party champions the
re menaced-they must not be sacrificed
hat one great combination may flourish,
nd when the subject is understood we
hall receive the cordial support of hum
reds of thousands of business men who
ave themselves felt the oppression Of the
rusts. or who, having observed the effect
I the trusts upon others. realize thu
heir safety lies, not in futile attempts at
be restraint Of trusts. but In legislation