The Newark journal., 1908-10-02
BRYAN ON TRUSTS
pISPELS IDEA THAT HE IS ZINE.
 MY OF INDUSTRY.
Democratic Candidate Logically Out Lines His Policy for Regulation of Big experimentation Both
 Definite and Practical.

In fulfllment of his plan of elab- orating and interpreting the various blanks of the Democratic platform, Mir Bryan chose the trust question for his subject at the Kern notifica- ton proceedings at Indianapolis. It is one of the most elusive of themes, as it is one of the most vexatious of problems. MT. Bryan succeeded in dispelling the idea that he Is the en- emy of industry or the friend of cen tralization
 AS was the case at Des Moines. where he handled the tariff question, MT Bryan had again the tremendous advantage of no embarrassing all dances, understandings or connections with the forces for whose control and regulation he argued. He left the Democratic remedies for trust evils more clearly understood and as log ically placed as is possible without practical test
 His definition of trust ss "cor- poration which controls so large proportion of the total quantity of any article used in this country as to be able to regulate the price and terms of sale" is probably as good as any of the others, even if made to fit the platform declaration. It was also made clear that the fixing of 25 per cent. of the output of an article as the proportion of control which makes necessary a federal license was an arbitrary proceeding and 50 per cent as the forbidden point beyond which control may not pass was equally ar bitrary. To deny the correctness of these figures is merely one way of avoiding discussion of the correctness of the principle involved For pur- poses of illustration, Is and 40 per cent, or 35 and GO per cent, would be as good. It is an Insignificant matter
 The point Is that where the extent of a business passes a certain line it ceases to be matter of private con- cern; it becomes a matter of public concern for the very simple reason that the interests of the public are paramount. Beyond this point, what ever it is, there must be federal reg ulation and supervision. Beyond an other point even such regulation and supervision promises no protection against the power and financial strength involved. Government itself may be smaller than the corporation which would control more than 50 per cent. of some commodities.
 Mir Taft's idea of recourse to in junctiye process. when necessary. may be in greater harmony with legal theories than the fixing by law of ar bitrary lines. but 1t leaves openings too large Experience. with the effi- cacy of the injunctive process has not been satisfying, and MT. Roosevelt's experience in trying to free his party from trust domination is fruitful in Indications pointing to failure of the Taft remedy.
 With MT. Bryan's elucidation of these points as the basis of the Dem ocratic program for trust regulation. the remainder Is a matter of detail designed to contribute to the attain ment of the one end-namely, the re- tention of the benefits that come from the perfecting of organization and economics under combination without seriously impairing competition or curtailing those equal opportunities es- sential to the development of individu-