The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1908-10-02
JOURNEY|NG IN
LAND OF DREAMS
ImpracticabIe Democratic PROPOSE
ton for Trust Control.
Convincing Exposition of Fallacy OF
Bryan's Panacea for Solving
Problems of Modern
Business.
(From Gov. Hughes Youngstown
speech.)

Nrrom GOV. hughes 1OungSto"H
speech,)
When we consider remedies that are
| proposed for the trusts, we find our
selves journeying in a land Of dreams
| Again the magician Of 1896 waves his
wand At a stroke difficulties disap'
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 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-
fusion Of 1908 Is comparable only TO
that Of twelve years ago.
The first suggestion is that the law
should prevent duplication Of d.
rectors among competing corporations.
However advisable it may be to have
Independent directorates of competing
corporations, 1t would seem still moro
important to have independent stock
holders, for 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.
fence shows that it Is not necessary TO
serve on a board of directors in order
to control its proceedings. Whatever
the advantage of such law as is pro-
posed, 1t hardly rises to the dignity of
remedy" or vindicates its title to a
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 a
federal license before it shall be per-
mitted to control as much as 20 per
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 80 per cent of the total amount Of
any product consumed in the United
States" This is another deluson Of
ratio.
1t might be interesting to inquire
what is the meaning of "any product
consumed in the United States" Does
it refer to class of commodities !
And, if so, how shall the classes be de-
fined? Or does ii refer to each sepa-
rate article of commerce? And il 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 ar.
ticles, often protected by trademarks.
although in most active competition
with other articles designed for the
same general purpose and seeking the
same market? In desire to correct
the evils of business are we TO place
an embargo upon honest endeavor
Whooc uCtiNitlco pIcStHt uOue Vi luc
abuses requiring remedies? And. II
not, what statutory definitions shall be
found to be adequate and just If we
lay down our prohibition In terms of
volume or ratio OF business and not in
terms of right and wrong? If we
adopt Mr.. Bryan's proposal. to what pc
Rod Of production is the prohibition
to apply? Is the excess for n day or
for a month to be considered? Or Is
the average production for year to be
taken? And what system shall be de.
vised by which suitable information
may be furnished in the nature of dan
ger signals along the routes of trade
so that the manufacturer may know
when he Is about to exceed the pre-
scrlbed ratio? He may justly be re-
qulred to govern his own conduct, but
how shall he be appraised of the con-
duct Of others upon which is to depend
his guilt or innocence?
The patent laws confer true
monopoly in the exclusive right to man.
ufacture and sell. Are these laws to
be repealed because private mon
opoly is indefensible and intolera BILE 80
Organs Crude Reasoning.