The Washington herald., 1908-08-26

Indianapolis. Ind. Aug. 25.-spea king
to-day on THE Trusts at the formal
notification Of John W Kern. his run
ming mate on the Democratic ticket, Will
laa J Bryan said. in part
Nowhere does the Republican party
show its Indifference 10 real. reform more
than il its treatment Of the trust ques-
ton
The Sherman antitrust law was pass
ed eighteen years ago, ii has q criminal
clause which provides q penitentIary
punishment FOR those who conspire to-
gether IN restraint Of trade. Ever since
the enactment Of the law. with the ex-
cepdon of four years. the Republican
party has controlled the executive de-
parJneut OF the government and during
Two years OF the four It controlled the
House Of Representatives Instead OF
Democratic dereIction. the Democrats
party has been urging. year after year.
TIE strict enforcement OF that law. and
The Republican party has been explain
Ing year after year why it was impos-
s1bls 10 enforce Il Instead OF being q
wholesome instrument for good Il has
been almost useless. 50 far as the protec-
ton OF the public is concerned. for the
trusts have grown IN number. in strength.
and il arrogance, at the very tine when
the Republican party was boasung Of its
enforcement Of the law The Steel Trust
was formed Immediately after the election
OF 1910. and a prominent Republican said.
IN a speech soon after. that il might have
prevented 2 Republican victory II 4 had
been formed before the election.
Most Of the trusts have never been dis
turbe6. and those that have been prose
cuted have not had their business seri-
OCsly interrupted The President has done
something toward the enforcement OF the
law, but not nearly enough. and the Re
publican leaders have thvarted him at
every point Finally the President be-
came 50 exasperated that he sent 70 Con
gress a message which shocked RepubIi-
can leaders by the Eerceness OF its de-
1lncia-iou OF the predatory interests. The
very convention that spoke in its plat
form Of the administration as a wise
and fearless one was composed largely
CT the Senators and Members Of Congress
who boldly opposed every effort 70 free
the people from the clutches Of the favor
seeking corporations
In his speech delivered about year
ago announcing his candidacy, AIr. Tar
suggested that the present law be so
amended as 70 permit reasonable re-
s--aiC- of trade Such an amendment
would Dc as absurd as an amendment 70
the law against burglary limiting the law
20 cases in which more than two burglars
entered the house AT one time or took
more than half they found In his noti-
ccation speech he suggests national in
cOrporauon-a remedy which would make
conditions worse, because. without adding
10 the power 0f Congress 10 prevent
mor0poEes, IL would deprive The States
OF the power 20 protect their own people
WOuld End Monopoly.
because the private monopoly Is IN
defenEhle and intolerable. the Demo
cratic party favors its extsrninatioa Il
pledges itself 10 the vigorous enforce
melt Of the criminal law against trust
uaEca-es and officials Il Is Impossible
Tor the Republican party 70 enforce the
present criminal law against trust Off
Gals; these officials are Intimately on
nected with the Republican party II the
present campaign. Take. for instance
The chairman Of the Republican speak
e-s' committee, 3Ir. Du Pont. Of Della
ware. He IS tie defendant IN a suit
which the government brought. and Is
now prosecuting Mr.. Du Pon- is charged
with violation OF the antitrust law. Why
should be be put on the executive com
u5ttee. and then be given control OF the
speaking part OF the campaign
II You talk % a Republican leader
about peliteutia-y punishment for Of
tenders, he fav0rs fning the corporation
on the ground that Il IS impossible to
f--iTFr-7e7r-a1=
fines you are told that fines are unjust
10 tuEdcenr stockholders We favor both
f1e and Imprisonment. but We think
il IS better 20 prevent m0n0polies than
10 first authorize them 10 prey upon the
public and then try 10 punish them for
doing So M Taft fsv0rs control Of
trusts fn-tead OF determination. but
after years Of experience the people have
learned that the trusts control the gov
eminent
The Democratic party does not content
Itself with a definition Of the wrong OF
with q denunc5ation Of It Il proceeds to
outline remedies The first is a law pre-
venting e duplication Of directors among
competing corporations No one can OBJ
5ect 10 this remedy unless he is IN SYN
pathy with the trusts rather than with
the people who are victImized by the
trusts This plan does not IN the least
infringe upon the right OF the States TO
protect their own people II simply pro
vides for the exercise by Congress Of the
power vested n il TO regulate interstate
commerce As long as a corporation con
fines itself 10 the State IN which It is
created. Congress cannot interfere with
It. but when the corporation engages in
interstate commerce Congress is the only
power that can regulate its interstate
business
How Trusts Operate.
a trust can best be defined as a cor
pOratiOn which controls so large a pro
portion OF the total quantity Of any ar
ucle used N this country as 10 be able
10 regulate the price and terms OF sale,
and as the proportion controlled determ-
ines the power Of the trust for harm. il
has seemed best to use proportonate con
trol as the basis Of this plan. and . per
cent has been fixed arbitrarily as the
proportion at which the line should be
drawn A corporation which controls less
than . per cent Of the product in which
il deals may in extraordinary cases. ex-
ert perCcptible influence in controlling
the price of the product and the terms
OF sale. but is a rule. d corporation must
control more than that percentage OF the
total product before II can exert q hurt
fuI influence on trade.
Under this plan the small corpora
tons are LEFT entirely free and unhamp-
cred.
The license would not prevent the
growth Of the corporations licensed II
would simply brlng them under the eye