The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-08-31

the Republican party 70 bring iorwaru
effective legislation on this snp)ect,
but win set an example by refusing
10 receive campaign contributions
from corporations and by opening the
hooks SO that every contributor OF
any considerable sum may be known
to the public before an election. mel
grea: majority OF corporations are
engaged in legitimate business anu
have nothing to fear from hosrie
legislation and the officers should not
be permitted to use the money OF the
stockholders to advance thelr own
political opinions. Contributions shouia
be individual not corporate, ana no
party can afford 10 receive contripu'
tions even from individuals when the
accpptance of these contributions
secretly pledge the party to course
which il cannot openly avow. In other
words politics should be honest ana
mistake present conditions in America
If hey do not receive Improvement
in the conduct of campaigns
Trusts the Paramount Issue.
While men may differ as to the
relative importance OF ISSUES ana
while the next congress VIII largely
the lines upon which the coming
presidential campaign will be fought
| think it is safe TO say that the para
mount issue in the minds OF large
majority of the people is the trust
issne congratulate President Roose-
welt upon the steps which ne mas
! taken TO enforce the anti trust law
and NV qualification is not lessened by
! the fact that he mas followed the
Democratic rather than the Repubii'
| can platform in every advance he mas
| made. 1t has been Il great imDatrasS-
ment To him that the platform on
which he was elected was hlled WIN
nraise of the Republican party's rec
ord rather than with promise OF re-
form. even the enthusiastic support
given him by the Democrats mas en-
abled the champions OF the trusts 10
Itaunf him with following Democratic
leadership. He has probably gone as
far as he could without incu1ing the
hostility of the leaders OF his own
marty The trouble is that the Repuh
iican marty is in a position to apply
effective and thorough going reforms
because it has built up through special
Legislation the very abuses Which
need to be eradicated.
Before any intelligent action Is
taken against the trusts We must nave
n definition of trust. Because no
corporation has an absolute and com
plete monopoly of any important pro
duet the apologists for the trusts
some times insist that there are really
) no trusts. Others insist that 1t is I'M
, possible to legislate against sach
. trusts as NAV exist without doing IN
iurv to legitimate business. For the
/ purpose of this delusion it is SUM
cient to draw the line at the polh'
, where competition ceases to be ef
fective and to designate as trust any
), coruoration which controls 20 mhci
n Of The product OF any article that !
h can fix the terms anC conditions o
K sale
S ~ legislation which prevents
e mononoly not only does not lnJur'
/. Iao.tinae business but actually pro
S tects legitimate business from INJURY
n we are indebted 10 the younge
n Rockefeller for an illustration Whlci
Z makes this distinction clear. In dc
/ Tending the trust system he IS qnote
II as saving that. as the American Deat
IS ~ cannot be brought to perfeetio
n. without pinchng off n'nety-nine ouu'
p so that the one hundred h bud can r'
is ceive the full strength Of the busi
is so great industrial organizations al
ID ;nnossible without the elimination {
the smaller ones. II is cruel illu
tration bur 1t puts a perfectly ace'
b. rate picture of trust methods. II
rs Democratic party champions Ut
at eauee of the ninety-nine enterprise
,s which are menaced--they must NJ
Sc be sacrificed that one great eombih
ic lion may flourish and when the su
p iect IS understood we shall reeei'
ic the cordial support of hundreds
ne thousands Of business men VINO nav
Id tbems selves felt the oppression OF u
ak trusts. or who, having observed u
III effect of the trusts upon others reaii
ar that their safety lies. not in futile
Id tempts at the restraint of trusts, b
in in legislation which will make p
IN. vate monopoly impossible The
ge must be no installing of issue and
he confusion Of the line OF battle. II
We trust. as an institution. will have Il
ice open defenders.
ed "The policy of the trust magnat
for will be 70 insist upon reasonal
he legislation and then they will re
Dry upon their power - corrupt legis
he tnre4 and to intimidate executives
ler prevent the application Of any rem
icy des which would interfere with
he trusts. our motto must be. n priVi
ich monopoly is indensihle and intol
bi able and our plan of attack M
VIC contemplate the total and compl'
SIN overthrow Of the monopoly indust
can I'VE need not quarrel over rei
and die We must how ourselves VIII
TO to support any remedy which pre-
ave Uses substantial advantages to