Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1908-10-27
Impracticabie Democratic PROPOSE
ton for Trust Control.
Convincing Exposition of Fallacy Of
Bryan's Panacea for Solving
Problems Of Modern
Business.
Youngstown

r proposed for the trusts, we find our.
:, selves journeying in land of dreams
Again the magician of 1896 waves his
wand. At stroke difficulties disap
f pear and the complex problems of mod.
, ern business are forgotten in the fas-
cination of the simple panacea. And
as the free coinage of silver in the
ratio of 16 to l was to destroy the
curse of gold, so the new found specific
of equal perfection is to remove the
curse of industrial oppression. The de-
lusion of 1908 is comparable only to
that of twelve years ago.
The first suggestion is that the law
should prevent a duplication of di-
rectors among competing corporations
However advisable it may be to have
independent directorates Of competing
corporations, it would seem still more
important to have Independent stock
holders, for a majority of the stock
holders of corporation choose the di-
rectors. If law were passed pre-
venting the duplication of directors it
] would easily be evaded in the selection
OF men who would represent the same
Interests. The most ordinary exper-
ience shows that it is not necessary TO
serve on board of directors in order
to control its proceedings Whatever
the advantage of such law as is pro-
posed, it hardly rises to the dignity Of
; remedy, or vindicates it's title to
place in an imposing scheme Of reform
outlined in national platform.
But the more important proposal is
that any manufacturing or trading
corporation engaged in interstate COM
merce shall be required to take out
federal license before it shall be per-
mitted to control as much as 25 Der
cent of the product in which it deals"
A license is permission, and the object
of the remedy is not to regulate large
businesses, but to destroy trusts. Hence
the supposed efficiency of the plan is to |
be found in the prohibition of the con-
troll by any such corporation 'of more |
than 30 per cent of the total amount of |
any product consumed in the United |
States" This is another delusion of |
ratio.
1t might be interesting to inquire
what is the meaning of 'any product
consumed In the United States" Does
1t refer to a class Of commodities?
And, if so, how shall the classes be de-
hned? Or does it refer to each sepa-
rate article of commerce? And, if so,
what account does this proposal take
OF the skill and initiative of manufac-
turers who have built up more or
less exclusive trade in particular ur-
tlcles often protected by trademarks.
atthough In most active competition
with other articles designed for the
same general purpose and seeking the
sa me market? In a desire to correct
the evils of business are we to place
IN embargo upon honest endeayor !
whose activities present none of the
aDuses requiring remedies? And, if
lot, what statutory definitions shall be
'ound to be adequate and just if we
ay down our prohibition in terms of :
'oiume or ratio of business and not in ,,
erms of right and wrong? If we
ldopt MIR. Bryans proposal to what De-
1od OF production is the prohibition
o apply? Is the excess for a day or ,
or month to be considered? Or is ,
ne average production for year to be :
aiken? And what system shall be de- 6
Used by which suitable information
nay be furnished in the nature of dam
er signals along the routes of trade =.
that the manufacturer may know
Fhen he is about to exceed the pre-
cribed ratio? He may justly be re-
ulred to govern his own conduct. but
ow shall he be apprised of the con-
uct of others upon which is to depend
is guilt or innocence? e
The patent laws confer a true
in the exclusive right to man. y
facture and sell. Are these laws to -
repealed because private mon =
poly is lndefensible and intolerab ble?" =,
Bryan's Crude Reasoning, :;
An example of Mr.. Bryan's reason =,
Is is found in his statement that ! :,
when corporation controls so per
ent OF the total product it supplies =,
'rty millions of people with that prod a,
ct. There are, of course, speciaIties .,
h1ch have limited market and are ",
sed by relatively small number of n.
lie people of the United States. More r.
IAN 80 per cent, and indeed even as :.
uch as 100 per cent of the trade in
len articles may be in the control ~
a particular corporation. This NAV. ~
fact, be relatively a small corpora Of
on. 1t may never have aspired to the n
lsavory renown of trust But by ct
osecuting its particular line with Il,
iel1ty and meeting satisfactorily a Ire
nited want; or by reason of some ON
cret processes or advantage of expert Of,
ice, it may control the trade in a Civ oi,
article Of commerce. Or, suppose
ncern controls the whole trade in