Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-07-28

legitimate business that covers certain
States. wishes 10 sell his business and
his good will. and so I'm the terms Of
the sale obligates himself to the pur-
chaser not - go into the same bust.
ness In those States. Such n restraint
OF trade has always been enforced at
common law. Again. the employees OF
an Interstate railway combine and en-
ter upon peaceable and lawful strike
TO secure better wages. At common
law this was not restraint OF trade
or commerce or violation OF the
rights OF the company or OF the public
Neither case ought TO be made a viola.
ton Of the antitrust law. My own
impression Is that the Supreme Court
would hold that neither OF these I'm.
stances Is within its Inhibition, but. n
they are to be so regarded. general leg
islation amending the law IS necessary.
The proposal TO compel every cor
poration TO sell its commodities at the
same price the country over. allowing
for transportation. is utterly imprac-
ticable. IL II can be shown that I'm or
der to drive out competition. corpo-
ration owning a large part Of the plant
producing an article is selling In one
part of the country, where Il has com
petitors. at low and Improbable
price, and I'm another part or the coun-
try. where IL has none. at an exorbi-
tant price, this Is evidence that IL IL at
tempting an unlawful monopoly. anil
tustifies conviction under the antitrust
law; but the proposal to supervise the
business OF corporations I'm such way
as to fix the price OF commodities and
compel the sale at such price is rs alb
surd and socialistic n plank as was
ever Inserted In Democratic political
platform.
Advantage of Combination of Capital.
The combination OF capital I'm large
plants TO manufacture goods with the
greatest economy is just as necessary
as the assembling OF the parts OF n
machine to the economical and more
rapid manufacture OF what In old
times was made by hand. The Gov
eminent should not interfere with one
any more than the other.
What Is an Unlawful Trust7
When, however, such combinations
ARE not based on any economic prin-
ciple, but are made merely for the pur-
pose OF controlling the market. TO
maintain or raise prices. restrict output
and drive out competitors. the public
derives no benefit and we have n mo-
nopoly. Ii is important. therefore.
that such large aggregations OF cap
ftal and combination should be con-
trolled so that the public may have
the advantage OF reasonable prices
and that the avenues OF enterprise
may be kept open TO the individual and
the smaller corporation wishing to en-
gage In business.
Many enterprises have been organ.
lied on the theory that mere aggrega.
ton OF all, or nearly all. existing plants
In n line of manufacture. without re.
gard to economy of production. de
stroys competition. They have, most
of them, gone into bankruptcy. Com.
petition in n profitable business will
not be affected by the mere aggrega.
ton of many existing plants under one
company, unless the company thereby
effects great economy, the benefit OF
which ii shares with the public. or
takes some illegal method to avoid
competition and to perpetuate n hold
on the business.
Proper Treatment Of Trusts.
Unlawful trusts should be restrained
with all the efficiency of injunctivc
process, and the persons engaged IN
maintaining them should be punished
with all the severity of criminal pros
ecution. In order that the methods pur-
sued In the operation OF their business
shall be brought within the law. To
destroy them and TO eliminate the
wealth they represent from the pro-
ducing capital Of the country would
entail enormous loss, and would throw
out of employment myriads OF work
ingmen and workingwomen. Such n
result Is wholly unnecessary to the nc
complishment of the needed reform.
and will inflict upon the innocent far
greater punishment than upon the
guilty.
Destructive Policy Of Democratic Plat
form.
Inc democratic platform does not
propose to destroy the plants of the
trusts physically, but it proposes to
do the same thing I'm different way.
The business of this country is large
ly dependent on n protective system Of
tariffs. 2 The business done by many
OF the so called trusts is protected
with the other business Of the country.
The Democratic platform proposes to
take off the tariff In all articles com
Ing into competition with those pro-
duced by the so called trusts" and
TO put them on the free list. II such
course would be utterly destructive
OF their business, as Is intended II
would not only destroy the trusts. but
all OF their smaller competitors. The
ruthless and impracticable character
Of the proposition grows palmer as its
effects upon the whole community are
realized.
To take the course suggested by the
Democratic platform in these matters
Is TO Involve the entire community, I'm
noccnt as 1t Is, I'm the punishment OF
the guilty, while our policy is to stamp
out the specific evil This difference
between the policies Of the two great
parties Is of especial importance in
view Of the present condition Of bust
ness. After ten years OF the most re.
variable material development and