The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-09-26
JOURNEY|NG IN
LAND OF DREAMS
ImpracticabIe Democratic PROPOSE
tion for Trust Control.
Convincing Exposition Of FallAcy of
Bryan's Panacea for Solving
Problems Of Modern
Business.
tFrom Gov, Hughes Youngstown

When We consider remedies that are
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-
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 10 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 1905 Is comparable only TO
that Of twelve years ago.
The first suggestion il that the law
should prevent a duplication OF d.
rectors among competing corporations
However advisable II may be 70 have
Independent directories OF competing
corporations, II would seem still more
important 10 have independent stock
holders, for a majority OF the stock
holders OF n corporation choose the d.
rectors. II law were passed pre-
venting the duplication OF directors II
would easily be evaded I'm the selection
Of men who would represent the same
Interests. The most ordinary exper-
fence shows that IL is not necessary 10
serve on a board OF directors in order
TO control its proceedings. Whatever
the advantage OF such law as is pro-
posed. II hardly rises 10 the dignity OF
remedy" or vindicates its title 10 a
place In an imposing scheme OF reform
outlined In national platform.
But the more important proposal In
shat any manufacturing or trading
corporation aged In interstate com
merce shall be required 10 take out a
federal license before II shall be per-
r1itted TO control as much as % per
cent OF the product In which II deals"
A license is permission, and the object
Of the remedy is not TO regulate large
businesses, but 10 destroy trusts. Hence
the supposed efficiency OF the plan is 10
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 IL another delusion Of
ratio
IL might be interesting 70 inquire
what IL the meaning OF "any product
consumed In the United States" Does
II refer 10 class OF commoditiesf
And. II 30, how shall the classes be de
fined; Or does II refer TO each sepa-
rate article OF commerce? And, II so,
what account does this proposal take
OF the skill and initiative Of manufac-
turers who have built up a 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 marketI In a desire TO correct
the evils OF business are we TO place
an embargo upon honest endeavor
whose activities present none OF the
abuses requiring remediesf And, II
not. what statutory definitions shall be
found 70 be adequate and just II we
lay down our prohibition In terms OF
volume or ratio OF business and not in
terms OF right and wrongf II we
adopt Mr.. Bryans proposal 10 what pc
Rod OF production Is the prohibition
20 apply Is the excess for day or
for month 10 be conslderedf or Is
the average production for a year to be
takenf 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 II about 10 exceed the pre-
scrbed ratio? lie may justly be re-
quired 70 govern his own conduct. but
how shall he be appraised OF the con-
duct OF others upon which is 70 depend
his guilt or innocence7
The patent laws confer true
monopoly In the exclusive right TO man
ufacture and sell Are these laws 20
be repealed because private mon
opoly Is indefenslble and intolerabley'
Drysn's Crude Reasoning.
An example OF Mr.. Bryans reason
Ing In found In his statement that
''when a corporation controls 80 per
cent OF the total product II supplies
forty millions OF people with that prod.
net" There are. OF course specialties
which have limited market and are
used by a relatively small number OF
the people OF the United States. More
than 30 per cent, and indeed even az
much a. 100 per cent OF the trade in
such articles may be In the control
OF a particular corporation. This may.
In fact. be relatively small corpora
ton. II may never have asplred to the
nnsavory renowH OF trust" But by
prosecuting It's particular line with
fidelity and nesting satisfactorily
limited want; or by reason Of some
secret processes or advantage OF expert.
sncs, II may ssntrol the trade In Civ
m article II commerce. or, suppose