The sun., 1907-08-20

criminal prosecutions go on (and many
such prosecutions have now been begun.
IL the violations OF the trust law are con
tinued, undoubtedly some shining marks
will be hit. but the vigor with which these
prosecutions have been continued has
created an anxiety among those engaged
in doubtful enterprises that has either driven
full not to give occasion for further com
plant.
BRYAN's -ExTIBPATIoN ROOT AND BRANCH.
Mr.. Bryan says He would extrpate
trusts, root and branch" IL Mr.. Bryans
language is more than mere rhetoric and he
means to seize the property, to divide il w
and sell It in pieces and disassemble the
parts, then 1 am not infavor OF his method
of dealing with trusts, because | believe
that such large combinations legitimatelN
conducted greatly add to the prosperity or
the country. The attitude Of the Govern
ment toward combinations OF capital for
the reduction in the cost OF production
should be exactly the same as toward the
combinations Of labor for the purpose Of
bettering the conditions OF the wage worker
and OF Increasing his share OF the joint
profit Of capital and labor. They are both
to be encouraged in every. way as long as
they conduct themselves within the law
welded for good can be OF inestima bic
benefit. Their power for evil when in the
control OF unscrupulous men is such thai
il it is to be restrained it needs the use Of
all the means which the Executive and the
courts can lawfully command. l think il
entirely possible by the rigorous prosecu-
tions OF the law against illegal combinations
and by the equal and just operation OF rail
ways to prevent a recurrence OF what We
have had in the past and to restrain within
the bounds Of legitimate and useful business
all these great corporations.
BUSINESS CORPORATIONS.
Mr.. Bryan's method OF suppressing un-
lawful trusts would be to require every
person, partnership or corporation ENGAGE
in interstate traffic to take out a Federal
license. and by Withholding such license
from illegal trusts he would make thefs
impossible. 1t is probable that a statute
embodying this plan could be drawn which
would stand the test of the Constitution
1t would. however. have to contain some
provision for ultimate judicial determi-
nation of those applicants for license who
were violating the antitrust law and thus
involve the same litigation we now have
There is danger that its effect would b.
so to clog the channels Of legitimate inter
state trade that after IL had been tried
for a short time the people of the country
would regard IL as burdensome and de-
mand its repeal. II is important that in
new legislation to stamp out evils we should
not so annoy the lawabidng in the com
munity as to lose their sympathy in the
reform. This plan has had the approval
OF Mr.. Garfield and others. ! was at first
inclined to think that this was a practical
method, but fuller consideration. for the
reasons given, makes me doubt. The
decision OF the Supreme Court that cor
poration cannot refuse to disclose facts
which will criminate itself makes less
important the advantage which the license
system was supposed to furnish in keep
ing the business OF corporation under
Until it is clearer than a.
present that the evils OF unlawful oombina-
tions cannot be suppressed without il, l.
seems to me such plan ought not TO h.
tried.
EVIL or SWOLLEN FORTUNES.
One OF the results OF the conditions
and evils which l have been describing
has been the concentration OF enormous
wealth in the hands of few men. I do not
mean 10 say that all the large fortunes
it is quite clear that many of those de-
scribed as swollen are due to rebates or
TO some form OF unlawful monopoly or
TO overcapitalization. OF course great
enterprises organized and managed 10y
men of transcendent ability should result
in great profit TO them. II is proper com
pensation when they share with the people
he profit from the economies that they
introduce in the business by reducing the
price. The captains Of legitimate industry
! lhereiore. are entitled to large reward. and
t IL impossible to impose a fixed limitation
lpon the amount which they may accum-
Iate.
LfGIsLATIoN. NOT CoNYIscAroRY. HAVING
TENDENCY TO DIVIDE SUCH FORTUNES
AND TO DIsCoURAoE THEIR AC-
cUMULArIoN. NOT soCIALIsTIc.
On the other hand il is not safe for the
Iody polite that the power arising from
he management Of enorrno,is or swollen
ortunes should be continued from genera
ION to generation in the hands OF few,
,nd EFFORTS by laws, which are not con
iscatory. TO divide these fortunes and %
'educe the motive for accumulating thsn
IRE proper and stateemanlike and without
ne slightest SAVIOR OF socialism or anarchy
ne law OF primoReniture was abolished IN
states were it had been adopted, merely
or the purpose OF securing division Of rho
and among the children OF the man who
'wned the land. Many of the provisions
ourage the union Of large tracts in one
ana to encourage small holdings
Jest REMEDY TO BE FOUND IN STATE LFGIs.
LATIoN.
The state Legislatures have complete
ontroi OF what shall be done with man.
roperty on his death. He has no right ="
eave IL by will. and his children or heirs
ntures may not modify or take away
ne states, therefore, can best remedy the
angers OF too great accumulation Of wealth
one hand by controlling the descent AMI q
evolution OF property and they ought I,
Q 80 They can adopt tlle French method
,hich requires the division Of q large par
. a mans fortune between all his children
nd gives him absolute power with respect
only a fraction. This would secure n
vision in the second generation and
, o"sb'e s,.cP onange Tor the better in reTpcc,
ready and properly adopted a graduated
lheritance tax which not only reduces III"
reat fortune but lesseKs the motive Tor
s accumulation.
EDERAL GOVERNMENT MAY PROPERLY LEND
ITS AID. FAvoRs GRADUATED NHERi-
TANCE TAX.
Federal action for a Federal end NAV
'gitimatey have an indirect effect 20 ald
70 states In reforms peculiarly within their