The state herald., 1908-09-18
CURTAILMENT OF PRODUCTION
What Would be the Effect of Bryan's
Plan for Curbing the Trustsp

Now comes the suggestion that, by
law, the operations Of corporation
shall be so curtailed that to the whole
output it shall not contribute more than
80 per cent Those who have neither
the time nor the inclination to go below
the surface of things may acquiesce,
but even they may not.
Presume a machine to be invented,
and presume its promoters, not only to
establish a plant for its manufacture,
but to be fortunate to the extent that
the use of the contrlyance becomes gem
eral At the start they make the whole
output Then comes a rival, beginning
by producing % per cent. Down swoops
the government compelling contrac-
tlon by the pioneer
What is the resultl 1t is to reduce
the total production, though the de-
mand for the machine may be greater
than the supply. The pioneer plant
cuts on 80 per cent In obedience to gov
ermental mandate, and Its rival makes
good but half OF the deficiency. or
course, there are what may be called
secondary effects, and they ensuc imme-
diately.
Presume the first plant to have cost
two millions and TO employ 2.0J0 men.
No sooner Is the second plant estab-
lishcd than 1000 men are thrown out
OF work, and property represented by
million Is converted into an Industrial
junk shop. The author OF this brilliant
Idea suggests that the company sell
what II becomes Illegal to use.
This is equally brilliant. II may
take the entire plant to produce one
machine, Of which there may be many
parts. In that event. compliance with
law can come only by dlschnrglng 1900
men or by keeping 1000 at work on
half time. Nor does the proposition
emanatc from an occupant OF home
for the fceble,mlndod.
II comes from the Democratic candl-
date for the Presidency. Il comes from
mental machinery which enjoys mo-
nopoly Of that sort OF thing. or this
machinery the aggregate output Is
large. but no effort has been made TO
restrict H. one OF the choicest OF lts
products Is that monopolies be exter,
minated. This Is n pet thunderbolt-
but Mr.. Bryan has the crudcst notions
MS 10 Its Significance lie seems 10
think that In some mysterious way IL
would benefit the plain people"
a big corporation produces on big
scale. Extermlnntc II. and II stops.
Corporations become big for reasons
economists have no trouble In compre-
bending. They do things by wholesale.
And part OF whnt they save remains In
the pocket Of the consumer. who would
otherwise have to pay far more for his
purchase.
Mr.. Bryan says he would dissolve.
destroy ohliiernte, cxtlrpate. exter.
inmate Sometimes. he snys, kin. lilo
finds fault with Mr.. Taft because he
will make no use OF these terms or OF
synonyms for them, Well the Rcpub-
llcan canddatc for the Presidency has
not lost his mind, lie is not formulat.
ing policy Of destruction lie knows
that evolution from the little TO tho
big was not only Inevitable. but bcne.
lccnt
In defamation the Ncbrasi,an is cf.
fcctivc nnd impressive: In elaboration.
In detail, In whnt are called srcclnca.
,lonr, he is out OF his element. 10 ask
| him 10 be cxnrt IN 10 surrest that a,
clip his own wings Tho only known
equivalent for his Democracy ln De
structlon.-ilrooklyn Eagle.