New-York tribune., 1908-09-06

less eycllrgiVe trade
nrotected by trade marks, although III mus O.
five competition with other articles oes.sheu III
the same general purpose and seeking eIe ,i Haf
,narxet2 In a desire to correct tne eFiiS Y.
business are we to place an embargo upon nohest
endeavor whose activities present none Oh ..l
abuses requiring remedies? ana hos aa
STATUTORY definitions shall be found TO De aoe-
ouate and Just il we lay down our pfohlpitlon. .
in terms of volume ratio of business ana ,.o'
ir terms of right and wrong? II We ngtion auop
Brvan's proposal. to what period OF proouctimoh m
Is the prohibition to apply? Is the excess loI
a day or for a month to be considered VI
the average production for a year 10 De 'ahJ ,,t
And what system shall be devised by Whlcu
! suitable information may be furnlsheu III 'il
nature of danger signals along the routes 80, %
trade so that the manufactures may know Wi,Ii
he is about to exceed the prescribed ratio! ne
NAV Justly be required to govern his own coh-
duct, but how shall he be apprised OF tne ii+
duct of others upon which is to depend MS gum
or innocence? a.,
The patent laws confer true monopoly IN
the exclusive right to manufacture ana sell I ere
these laws to be repealed because pTlVate
monopoly is indefensible and intoleraoie!
1t proposed to apply the prohibition OF contPoi
of more than 90 per cent to patented arucies-
BRYAN's CRUDE REASONING
An example of Mr. Bryan's reasoning is found
In his statement that when a corporation con-
trolls 20 per cent of the total product 1t suppieS
forty millions of people with that proouc'-
There are, of course specialtles "hCh Ia!o, nc.
limited, market and are used by a relauVely
small number of the people of the Unted
States More than so per cent. ana lnoeeo eveti t
much as 100 per cent OF the trace III t,,,Ior
articles may be in the control or paIliculdl
corporation. This may, in fact. be relaIiVely
small corporation. 1t may never nave aspHeo
to the unsavory renown of trust buI pS
prosecuting its particular line with fidelity ana
meeting satisfactorily limited want or py
reason Of some secret processes OF duF oi!ease
/ of experience it may control the trace IN
given article of commerce Or suppose e1 -
Germ controls the whole trade in some useful
.byproduct which it has found it Na advantageous
to make, is the trade to be prohibited! 49,
The Democratic platform makes no excePtions
TO cover such cases. and we have learned tla'
1t is equally binding to what II ofnltS.
If we could imagine such d crude proilpisioh
TO be enacted into law. and to be resarded as
valid what would be the effect? MT brydll'
with his usual readiness, suggests that the con-
cefn may sell much of its plants as are Iiot
needed to produce the amount allo"ea ny 4a"'
He speaks as though every manufacturing con-
cern had as many fully equipped UNITS Oh Plo-
duction as would correspond to any given per
centage Of trade which it might be required 10
Ion off Plants are not so easily dismembered-
Reduction in output means reduction in work
reduction in the number of men employed anu
curtailment of the efficiency of going concern
Let us suppose a concern which controls 50 per
cent of a given prOduct-that Is to say makes
and sells 5000 600 in value out of total trade
in the product amounting to S1OOoooN dSldd IS II 70
be compelled to reduce its output 10 SZ'oOo'VVo
because ONLY S2OOOOO0 in value are made by
others? Then, if it could sell part OF lis plshe
on Mr. Bryans theory, what should II sen.
Should it sell off enough to reduce us capdclly
to 81 600 600 and allow three-ffthS OF It's plant
to remain idle until others developed capaclty
I for other
sumo that the total trade VIII increase anu @ -
NOT always to remain at $4,000 600 and hence
i,retain larger portion of its plant IN laiehesS
or suppose a concern controls IoO per cent oI
the trade in some article, what plants shdH II
retain? 1t can produce nothing until others pro
duce: bat it may produce an amount equai "a a. a.
the production of others. and it hopes the TRACE
will grow. What a vision of business uhcer5
tafntv and confusion, of IDLE ana Ili' eu "
plants, Of the ruin OF worklngen Ml.oSe ~ a'd
have clustered around particular industries ana
who depend upon their continued efficiency Is
presented by this fanciful remedy Ior the ue-
: StruCtOn of trusts -.
fected in the manner desired ana porulohs VI
plants could be sold and were sold as suggested,
n whom would the sale be made? Would Il oe
raceesar1Zy to foes or to those ambitious to be
! competitors and anxious to take advantage 0I
It, plight?
THE FATAL STAMP OF 1896.
! This proposal in its utter disregard of the
f,rtc of business In its substitution of the
baI1+aeieg. of the imagination for the realities
of life stamps the Democratic platform win
the fatal stamp of 1896. The commerce ana IN
dustry OF this country, the interests OF It's Wase
!. CARRIERS and Of its ihterdependent masses VINO
must rely upon the stability of BUSINESS caIho'
! afford to give license to such Vagarles. ,,,o
7 In the sOlemnity with which this proposal mas
been declared and the insistence with which IL
is advocated. find an appropriate test OIL Tue
/ capacity of our opponents TO deal wisely Will
! the problems Of the day
| 1t is the function of law to define and punish
! wrongdoing. and not to throttle business. ~.
trade should be fair; that unjust discrlmlnatlohS
and illegal allowances giving preferential access
to markets should be prevented that coertise !ee
/ combinations and improper practices TO stlhe
| competition should be dealt with regardless OF
| individuals: but that honest industry, OBTAIN
| ing success upon it's merits, denying no JuSt
! on,ort1,ni4v TO its competitors. should not be
/ put under prohibitions which mlngle the lnho-
cent and the guilty in a common condelnna tloll.
The Republican party in making 1n1eIllgehtt !
| rrograss TO these ends will be under competent
| leadership Ten years ago In the discharge OF
his duties as judge without thougnt - oL poiI,5 d
! ical preferment, Mr.. Taft in a luminous ana
| conprehensive opinion laid down the principles
governing the antitrust act applied to improper
! combinations affecting interstate trade III III
5ustriaI nroducts This was the famous Addy-
ston Pipe and Steel Company case, in Whlch the
decision Of the court below reversed on Cir
cult Judge Taft's opinion. and his decision a1ter
| ward sustained by the Supreme Court OF the
| United States forms landmark in our JuTlS-
! prudence in the firm application or the law
! against improper Industrial comblnatlons ne
! has expressed himself clearly and emphatca!ly'
and his sincere desire to lead the people IN m
! teIligent warfare against every form OF ABUSE
| in interstate trade. which admits Of legislative
or administrative correction may be trusted
The line of progress Hes not IN aroltrary ac
tion but in securing suitable publicity and SUI
pervision and by accurate definition of wrongs
and the infiiction of proper punishment The
processes of Justice may be slower ana more
! iahorfous but If we desert the lines of sober
ness and fair play to get quick results through
arbitrary interferences with trade, we shall ma
that such short cuts lead only to disaster
GUARANTEE OF BANK DEPOSITS.
The plan proposed by the Democratic plat
form to provide for guarantee of bank de-
! nosits is also open to serious objection. Mr..
Taft promptly pointed out its weakness and
Mr. BRYAN despite his skill, has been unable
effectiveIy to answer his criticisms. The plan
nroDoses 10 make the honest and prudent banks
meet losses for which they are in no way re
sponsible Mr Bryan replies that all banklng
restrictions operate to Curtail the freedom OF
the prudent because of the dangers arising from
the abuses Of others But II is one thing to put