The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1908-08-21

for. transportation, is utterly imprac.
ticable. II it can be shown that in or
der to drive out competition, q corpo-
ration owning large part of the plant
producing an article is selling in one
part OF the country, where It has COM
petltors. at low and unprofitable
price, and in another part Of the coun-
try. where it has none. at an exorbi.
tant price. this is evidence that it is at
tempting an unlawful monopoly, and
justifies conviction under the antitrust
law; but the proposal to supervise the
business of corporations in such q way
as to fix the price Of commodities and
compel the sale at such price is as alb
surd and socialistic a plank as was
ever inserted in Democratic political
platform.
Advantage Of Combination Of Capital.
The combination of capital In large
plants to manufacture goods with the
greatest economy is just as necessary
as the assembling Of the parts of a
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 IL 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 a mo-
nopoly. 1t is important therefore,
That such large aggregations OF ap-
ital 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 a line Of manufacture, without re.
gard to economy Of production. de.
stroys competition. They have, most
Of them, gone into bankruptcy. Com.
petition In a 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 it shares with the public, OF
takes some illegal method to avoid
competition and to perpetuate q hold
on the business
Proper Treatment Of Trusts.
Unlawful trusts should be restrained
with all the efficiency Of injunctive
process, and the persons engaged in
maintaining them should be punished
with all the severity of criminal pros
ecution, in order that the metbcas I'd, ,ur
sued IN the operation Of their business
shall pe 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
result is wholly unnecessary to the ac-
complishment Of the needed reform.
and will inflict upon the innocent far
greater punishment than upon the
guilty.
Destructive Policy Of Democratic Plat.
form.
The Democratic platform does not
propose to destroy the plants Of the
trusts physically, but 1t proposes to
do the same thing in different way.
The business of this country Is large
ly dependent on a protective system of
tariffs. 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 of 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 If such
a course would be utterly destructive
of their business, as is intended. it
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. in
nocent as 1t Is, in 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-
markable material development and
prosperity, there came financial strin-
gency, panic and an industrial de-
preston. This was brought about not
only by the enormous expansion Of
business plants and business invest
/ ments which could not be readily con-
verted. but also by the waste Of capi-