The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-09-03
ADJUSTMENTS TODAY.
GET DOWN TO BUSINESS.

GET DOWN TO BUSINESS.
In its very lucid and comprehensive
statement of the situation resulting
from the local food trust, the Rea
Estate association completes its part OF
the preliminary discussion and paves
the way for a sensible conclusion OF
the agitation against the conspirators
Briefly stated, the real estate men sub
scribe $500 for a fund to be used in
investigating and prosecuting all the
local combinations which have banded
together. each in its own class, to
charge the people OF Salt Lake extor-
tiOnate profits. and make for them
selves a practical monopoly Of their
lines of business
The movement is the only logical step
in view. The consumers of the city
might talk themselves black in the face
and agitate until the crack of doom
without affecting prices of any COM
modify one cent if they failed to take
measures for the conviction and pun
ishment of the criminals. Your ordi-
much is said about his invasion of the
house so long as you fail to pursue
him or attempt TO secure his arrest
and conviction. The Standard Oil
heard a good deal of conversation
about its crimes very cheerfully for
many years, but the conversation did
not interfere with its predatory meth
DDS, nor did it embarrass the oil mo-
nopolists. They never really paid much
attention to the law until the law
handed out $4,000. 900 fine as serious
" as though the judgment were meant
10 take effect in the pocketbook of the
criminals.
Similarly, the combination of local
tradesmen who have Joined hands in a
gentle arrangement for the robbery of
the community. will pay little atten-
tiOn TO Outcries or denunciatiOn. They
expect some little fuss from their vic
Tins and apparently think it is super
fIuous to talk about Furnishing their Of
lenses. But If a grand jury is sum-
mOned and an investigation begun; if
it is plain that the common people
mean business and intend to secure re-
dress for the financial injury they have
suffered, II is barely possible the con-
spirators will change their opinions and
decide that common decency and OBJ
servance of the law call for new deal.
And. whether the combines change
their system or not, whether they dis
solve or not. whether they permit open
competition such as the law requires,
. or not, the situation calls for common
action by every citizen interested in Sc
curing justice for himself and his
neighbOrs.
The suggestion of the Real Estate
association that the council repeal the
ordinances which inure to the benefit
of the food combine and prevent com
petition with them by farmers and
truck gardeners is a good one. The
combinations have been exceedingly
busy in securing the passage of ordi-
nances for their own benefit. II is
about time some of the municipal leg
islation were devoted to the welfare of
the people; and the first step i'm that
direction would be the repeal of mu-
nicipal laws passed for the special in
terests which have been holding up the
householders of the community.
On general principles the whole ques-
ton of prices of living as affected by
local trusts ought TO be investigated by
the legal authorities elected for the
purpose; and the first move is to fol-
low the plan outlined by the Real
Estate association. carrying it 20 its
ultimate conclusion in the punishment
of the criminals.